Author Archives: Allison Vaughn

Wild Haven Bush Honeysuckle Hack

We enjoyed a beautiful day and hike of about 1.3 miles one-way to reach the south end of the yellow trail that dead ends at a rocky section of Hinkson Creek.  Our target was on the other side of the creek – a patch of bush honeysuckle (BH) I had spotted three years ago when

Missouri Birding Society joint fieldtrip with CAS

On Saturday, September 26, there was a joint field trip to Rock Bridge Memorial State Park along with the Missouri Birding Society (formerly ASM). In all, 24 birders including 5 leaders showed up to cover the trails at the Devil’s Icebox parking lot, as well as the Gans Creek and Karst trails. We ended up

CAS Open House at the Nature School

Twenty-plus Columbia Audubon members attended the Open House at the Boone County Nature School site on Saturday, Oct. 17. Mike Szydlowski and Ragan Webb from Columbia Public Schools and Brian Flowers with the Missouri Department of Conservation led walking tours of the site and provided an update on various aspects of the project along the

Christmas Bird Count during a Pandemic

Scheduled for December 19, the 2020 Christmas Bird Count- like every other event we have sponsored during the pandemic- will look a little different. We will go forward with the count, but will not host the Chili Supper for compilation. We will send out details soon regarding data collection and compilation. The National Audubon Society

CAS Participating in CoMoGives Dec. 1-31

Columbia Audubon Society will be participating in the annual CoMoGives community fundraising campaign for area non-profit organizations. The online giving campaign is coordinated by the Community Foundation of Central Missouri. CAS has participated in the CoMoGives annual community fund drive for five years. This is the only fundraising done to benefit the efforts of Columbia

Vote for the Birds!

  Didn’t think you could have a newsletter this close to Election Day without a reminder to vote, did you? Things to know about voting in Boone County: In-person absentee voting is available at the county clerk’s office (801 E. Walnut) until 5:00 p.m. November 2nd, vote inside in room 236 or utilize the outdoor

Sunday, November 15

Wild Haven Bush Honeysuckle Hack-Part 2

2pm-4pm

We’ll meet at the workshop and work in the area between the workshop and bridge. Email trjcamp at aol.com to get word if we reschedule due to weather. Dress for the weather, bring your own tools or borrow some.

December 19, 2020

Christmas Bird Count

All Day

CAS will host the Christmas Bird Count but under Covid-19 guidelines. There will be no Chili Supper this year. Watch here for more details.

Note from the President

I hope you got out and birded during the beautiful September weather. Fall can be difficult time for me to identify species. A lot of birds are quiet and have a different color than in the spring. I’ve trained myself to look for motion in trees, but the falling leaves can distract me from finding

October 17

CAS invited to visit Nature School site

2:00pm-4:00pm

Columbia Audubon members are invited to an informal open house at the Boone County Nature School site on Saturday, Oct. 17, between 2 and 4 p.m. Representatives of Columbia Public Schools and CAS will be on hand to provide updates about the Nature School project and lead members on short walks on the property. We

Birding Update for Eagle Bluffs

My name is Brady Lichtenberg and I am a wildlife biologist for MDC, and the area manager of Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area. I earned my BS in fisheries and wildlife sciences in 2016. I have been an employee of MDC since 2012, and have been at Eagle Bluffs since 2016. As many of you know,

Columbia Audubon Society’s Wild Haven Nature Area- A quiet place to see more than birds

On 3 Sep. 2020, following the advice and directions from CAS member John Besser, I went to Wild Haven Nature Area to look for birds and butterflies. It was a very pleasant morning when I arrived at 9:30 and mostly quiet except for the calls of a few local permanent resident bird species. I was

MDC encourages people to counter window strikes during fall bird migration

The fall migration is amazing for birdwatching, but can be deadly to many birds. Millions of avian deaths occur each year due to birds colliding with windows and other reflective surfaces during their migration. To help ensure a safe journey, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages people to make small changes at their home

Conservation Federation Legislative Portal Available

The Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) has been the “Voice for Missouri Outdoors” for the last 85 years. They house the newly redesigned Legislative Action Center (LAC) where Missourians can make an account to learn who their legislators are, stay up to date on conservation-related legislation, and have the opportunity to easily contact their elected

Saturday, October 17

October Big Day

Join the birding community Saturday October 17 on ebird.org for a full day of birding in mid-October to determine “what birds are where” on an average October day. Songbird Station is offering a 20% discount on optics and field guides 10/15-10/17. On 10/17, Songbird Station will donate $1.00 for every bag of birdseed 20 lbs.

Note from the President

For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been birding and a member of Columbia Audubon since the early 1990s. I worked at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park for 24 years in a variety of positions, including park superintendent, and retired in 2016. I had an English Literature professor who divided his class into

Work Continues at Nature Areas during COVID-19

How many times have you heard that we are living in unprecedented times, wear masks, social distance, and quarantine?  I’m not even going to imagine having a swab stuffed up your nose.  All this could really put a stop to almost any planned activities, but not so with Columbia Audubon Society. The spring warm-up experienced

Birding 3M Wetlands during Quarantine

In 2013-2014, Columbia Parks and Recreation Department approached Columbia Audubon Society and asked if we could provide a match to a grant for wetland restoration along the MKT. We were unclear of their demands, but it ended up that they were in need of plant lists and interpretive panel text and photos. Columbia Audubon stepped

CAS Programs and Fieldtrips

CAS Adapts Programs, Meetings to Current Conditions Columbia Audubon will not be able to meet at our usual location, the Unitarian Universalist Church, for the foreseeable future, so meetings and programs will take various forms this year. Weather permitting, we plan to hold actual meetings—outside, with masks and social distancing—in September and October. We’ll rely

News and Notes for May 2020

President’s Corner by John Besser, President Birding in the time of covid-19. Restrictions on ‘social distance’ this spring have had many serious social and economic consequences, and cancellations of Columbia Audubon Society (CAS) meetings and field trips are far from the biggest problems we face. Still, spring migration is the most cherished time of the

Watch for Nesting Activity this Spring and Summer

by Joanna Reuter During the pandemic, many of us are likely to find that birding involves regular visits to local spots rather than far-flung adventures to distant destinations. One way to make the most of this is to pay special attention to nesting patterns and savor the benefit of being able to follow a year

Meeting Minutes for March 18, 2020

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING March 18, 2020 Present: Bill Mees, Eric Seaman, Doug Miller, Allison Vaughn, Greg Leonard, Nancy Bedan. John Besser and Eric Reuter participated by phone. Vice President Bill M called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. Spring Meeting Schedule:  John B said church officials don’t want large groups

E-mail Vote, February 21–27, 2020

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS SPECIAL E-MAIL VOTE February 21-27, 2020 On Feb. 21, 2020, CAS President John Besser called for a final board vote, by e-mail, on the proposed $30,000 donation to the Boone County Nature School project for construction of the Council House facility. He noted that the board had good discussions

News and Notes for April 2020

President’s Corner By John Besser CAS cancellations and “social distancing”. It sure seems like more than a month since the last Chat. Our world is changing rapidly in response to the spread of the pandemic coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19. Changes in our little organization seem pretty trivial compared to the upheaval around

Interacting with Nature during a Time of COVID-19 Concern

by Joanna Reuter Spring is unfolding much as usual with the arrival of migrants, the blooming of wildflowers, and the chorus of frogs and toads. Yet the joys of spring are tempered this year by concerns about the coronavirus and what harm it will inflict on the human communities we cherish. The strong desire to

Sightings: March 2020

by Joanna Reuter Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area Sadly, the 25th anniversary celebration scheduled for March had to be canceled due to a combination of miserable weather and coronavirus caution. Here’s a photographic celebration highlighting some March observations: The eagles are nesting: Cheryl Rosenfeld captured an excellent photo sequence of a Horned Grebe eating a fish.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

CANCELED April meeting: Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri

7:00 p.m.

The April meeting has been CANCELED due to COVID-19. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Original event notice: Mike Powell, Executive Director of the Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri, will speak about his organization and  present data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology regarding land trusts and bird conservation.

Meeting Minutes for February 19, 2020

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY Special Membership Meeting February 19, 2020 CAS President John Besser convened the special membership meeting at 6:05 p.m. The meeting was held to discuss a proposal by the Board of Directors to donate $30,000 in CAS funds for construction of the Council House facility at the new Boone County Nature School. After

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

POSTPONED March meeting: Robin Hirsch-Jacobson

7:00 p.m.

This meeting is postponed until further notice. The March meeting will feature a presentation by Robin Hirsch-Jacobson, Associate Professor of Biology at William Woods University. Robin works with undergraduates, teaching hands-on field labs where students are able to learn about ecology and the natural environment though observation and experimentation. Robin will speak about: work with

News and Notes for March 2020

by Joanna & Eric Reuter March field trips & events As the weather improves, the field trip calendar will become busier. We’ll start the month off right away with a “birding without binoculars” walk at Stephens Lake Park on the afternoon of Sunday, March 1. The month’s highlight will be the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area

Planning for Spring Plantings of Natives

by Joanna Reuter If you have a yard and/or a garden, this is a good time of year come up with a plan to make the space more enticing to wildlife such as beneficial insects and birds. Get inspired: Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in your Yard is a new

Sightings: February 2020

by Joanna Reuter Northern Boone County Blackbird Roost Activity continued at the blackbird roost in northern Boone County where birds numbering in the millions have been congregating each evening to roost for the night in a field of miscanthus (a tall grass that is a biomass crop). Watching the birds come in has been described

News and Notes for February 2020

President’s notebook: Special General Membership Meeting, 6:00 pm Wednesday February 19 by John Besser We will have a special general membership meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Church on February 19 at 6 PM, one hour before the scheduled presentation by Bill Palmer. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and vote on a proposal

Updates in Missouri Ornithology (January Meeting Summary)

by Joanna Reuter At the January meeting, ~40 attendees were treated to an informative and enjoyable presentation from MDC State Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick, who discussed three major topics: Missouri Bird Conservation Plan You’ve probably heard news about bird populations declining. It’s really important to have a solid understanding about which birds are declining and why,

Sightings: January 2020

by Joanna Reuter Audrain County swans & more A large pond/small lake on private land in western Audrain County, just east of Highway 151, has been a magnet for Trumpeter Swans the last few years. Even in years with deep cold, the water has remained free of ice, and nearby corn fields offer sustenance. County

Meeting Minutes for January 15, 2020

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING January 15, 2020 Present:  John Besser, Bill Mees, Eric Seaman, Greg Leonard, Lottie Bushmann, Eric Wood, Jean Neely, Nancy Bedan, Eric Reuter, Laura Hillman, Joanna Reuter Nature School Proposal:  The meeting was devoted to discussion of the Boone County Nature School project and the proposal to commit $30,000

Meeting Minutes for December 18, 2019

The special meeting of the Board of Directors convened at 6 p.m. at the Columbia Public Library for a presentation by representatives from the new Boone County Nature School project. Present: John Besser, Bill Mees, Doug Miller, Eric Seaman, Laura Hillman, Eric Wood, Jean Neely, Allison Vaughn, Nancy Bedan. Representing the Nature School project: Roger

Meeting Minutes for November 20, 2019

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING November 20, 2019 President John Besser called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. Present:  John Besser, Nancy Bedan, Lottie Bushmann, Laura Hillman, Greg Leonard, Bill Mees, Doug Miller, Eric Reuter, Joanna Reuter, Eric Seaman, Allison Vaughn, Eric Wood, and Jean Neely, newly appointed board member Board Vacancy: 

News and Notes for January 2020

New Year, new events The Columbia Audubon Society (CAS) event calendar will kick off 2020 with an afternoon First Day Hike on the Grasslands Trail at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, in coordination with Missouri State Parks. On January 15, the first CAS meeting of 2020 will feature State Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick. She has exciting

Destination: Audubon, Iowa

by Louise Flenner In September, George and I decided to travel home from our RV vacation on the North Shore of Minnesota by taking the long way home down the western side of Iowa along Hwy. 71.  The destination I was looking for was the town of Audubon, Iowa.  I had noted this place on

Birds in Big Numbers: Flocks of Blackbirds and Starlings

Part two in an occasional series, Birds in Big Numbers by Joanna Reuter Blackbirds can congregate in enormous numbers, sometimes in mixed-species flocks with starlings and other birds. In eBird’s current dataset, Red-winged Blackbirds hold the world record for the high count of a single species, with an estimate of 40 million individuals during a

Sightings: December 2019

Raptors: Winter is a good time to view raptors, and many photos demonstrating their winter diversity were submitted to eBird and the Macaulay Library this month from Boone County. Here’s a selection:  The final photo in that sequence is a Prairie Falcon found by Shelby Thomas at South Farm on December 7. This was

News and Notes for December 2019

President’s notebook: Let’s eBird the Christmas Bird Count By John Besser, Columbia Audubon Society (CAS) President The Christmas Bird Count is probably the longest-standing activity of the National Audubon Society. The genius of this early “citizen science” project lies in its simplicity and consistency over the years. Each group participating in the CBC submits a

Seeking Members for a CAS Field Trip Strategic Planning Committee

by Eric Reuter, Field Trip Chair As Field Trip Chair, I have been researching liability questions for non-profits engaged in outdoor activities; this has opened a can of worms that must now be addressed. Because field trips are a core part of the Columbia Audubon Society (CAS) mission, the board has approved my formation of

CoMoGives Fund Drive is Under Way

Please Consider Making a Gift to Columbia Audubon by  Nancy Bedan, CAS CoMoGives Committee Mid-Missouri residents can make donations to any of 138 nonprofit organizations through the 2019 CoMoGives fundraiser during the month of December. These organizations, Columbia Audubon Society included, offer exceptional programs and services to our community. The Community Foundation of Central Missouri

Columbia Audubon Society Participates in Planning for Boone County Nature School

by John Besser and Bill Mees Those attending the October CAS membership meeting at Fairview Elementary School heard about plans for a new ‘nature school’ from Mike Szydlowski, Science Coordinator for Columbia Public Schools (CPS).  This exciting facility will be located on a 207-acre tract donated by the Hank Waters and Vicki Russell, located off

Sightings: November 2019

This month’s sightings were once again compiled entirely from eBird and illustrated with photos embedded via the Macaulay Library. (Feel free to submit interesting observations and photos to me directly by email.) Anna’s Hummingbird: This November brought an early-season Arctic blast, not weather that one usually associates with hummingbirds. But, sure enough, a hummingbird showed

Meeting Minutes for October 16, 2019

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING October 16, 2019 President John Besser called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. Present:  John Besser, Nancy Bedan, Bill Mees, Greg Leonard, Lottie Bushmann, Doug Miller, Eric Seaman, Laura Hillman, and Jean Neely, guest and prospective board member Minutes:  Bill M asked that Joanna Reuter’s e-mail address

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Christmas Bird Count Chili Supper Potluck

6:00 p.m.

This is the annual chili supper potluck following the Christmas Bird Count, at which we share food and company while reporting and compiling the results of the day-long count. The potluck will start at 6 p.m. at Fairview Road Community of Christ Church, 1111 S. Fairview Road in Columbia. Table service and hot and cold

News and Notes for November 2019

From the editor This issue of The Chat comes after the annual Columbia Audubon Society (CAS) Band with Nature program gave around 1,350 students an opportunity to be inspired about birds and nature; these 2nd graders are from 69 classrooms representing 19 schools. In this issue, the two Columbia teachers who attended Hog Island Audubon