Author Archives: Douglas Miller

CAS Board Meeting Highlights for August 19, 2020

Full minutes may be found at: http://www.columbia-audubon.org/meeting-minutes-for-august-19-2020/ Nature Areas David and Jean Neely, Bill Mees and John Besser have finished repairing the Wild Haven shelter. Roxie Campbell has also joined in helping to clear the trails at Wild Haven and placing additional markers to make the trails easier to follow. David Neely, John Besser, Bill

Saturday, September 26

Gateway to the Stars

6:30pm

Gateway Arch National Park will provide a forum in which several local organizations will discuss the impact of light pollution on the night skies, the environment, and animals. So far, representatives of Dark Sky Missouri, Missouri River Bird Observatory, Johnson County Community College, and the Audubon Societies of St. Louis and Kansas City will be

Saturday, September 19

Volunteers Needed: Fall Cleanup At Wild Haven, September 19

9am–3pm

This summer, we made good progress catching up on maintenance at Columbia Audubon Society’s Wild Haven nature area (100 acres) on Hinkson Creek northeast of Columbia. But we’ll tackle the biggest job at Wild Haven starting this week as we clean out the old workshop building east of the picnic shelter. This building has been

CAS Board meeting highlights for June 17, 2020

Complete minutes of this meeting may be found at http://www.columbia-audubon.org/meeting-minutes-for-june-17-2020. Financial Issues CAS had provided the Columbia Public School District with student scholarships for summer programs that have since been canceled due to COVID-19. Lisa Shenker has been in touch with CPS Science Coordinator Mike Szydlowski regarding the disposition of these funds. Lottie Bushmann, Lisa

CAS Board meeting highlights for July 15, 2020

Complete minutes of this meeting may be found at http://www.columbia-audubon.org/meeting-minutes-for-july-15-2020/. Audit Committee Members of the Audit Committee will be Greg Leonard, Jean Leonatti and Eric Seaman Conservation Chair Brooke Widmar responded to Jim’s e-mail looking for a Conservation chair. She is the Director of Administrative Operations of the Missouri Prairie Foundation and the representative for

Meeting Minutes for July 15, 2020

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING July 15, 2020 NOTE: Meeting conducted online via Zoom. Present: Douglas Miller, Allison Vaughn, Jim Gast, Greg Leonard, Lottie Bushmann, Eric Wood, Nancy Bedan, John Besser, Bill Mees, Jean Neely, Eric Seaman. President Jim Gast called the meeting to order at 6:08 p.m. Minutes Jim corrected the confirmed

Meeting Minutes for June 17, 2020

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING June 17, 2020 NOTE: Meeting conducted online via Zoom. Present: Nancy Bedan, John Besser, Lottie Bushmann, Jim Gast, Laura Hillman, Greg Leonard, Bill Mees, Doug Miller, Jean Neely, Lisa Schenker, Eric Seaman, Eric Wood Let it be recorded that the membership approved the proposed slate of CAS officers

2020–2021 CAS Election Announcement

On May 13, at our final meeting for the fiscal year, the CAS Board of Directors accepted a slate of nominees for the elected positions that will become vacant on June 1. The nominating committee, led by Nancy Bedan with the assistance of Jan Mees and Lori Hagglund, recommended the following candidates: Proposed Slate of

Meeting Minutes for May 13, 2020

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING May 13, 2020 NOTE:  Meeting conducted online via Zoom. Present:  John Besser, Lottie Bushmann, Laura Hillman, Greg Leonard, Bill Mees, Doug Miller, Jean Neely, Eric Reuter, Lisa Schenker, Eric Seaman, Eric Wood, Nancy Bedan President John Besser called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. Affirmation of Recent

Meeting Minutes for April 15, 2020

COLUMBIA AUDUBON SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING April 15, 2020 NOTE:  Meeting conducted online via Zoom. Present:  John Besser, Lottie Bushmann, Laura Hillman, Greg Leonard, Bill Mees, Doug Miller, Jean Neely, Eric Reuter, Lisa Schenker, Eric Seaman, Allison Vaughn, Eric Wood, Nancy Bedan President John Besser called the meeting to order at 5:15 p.m. Insurance

April 11-22, 2020

12 Days of Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, the Columbia Public School system — supported by CAS and other community organizations — is holding a fun series of daily, nature-related challenges for kids. Each day leading up to Earth Day students can try to earn points by taking part in safe, nature-related activities. See this PDF from Columbia

CoMoGives Fund Drive is Under Way

– by Nancy Bedan, CAS CoMoGives Committee Please Consider Making a Gift to Columbia Audubon Mid-Missouri residents can make donations to any of 122 nonprofit organizations through the 2018 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

Recap: November 3 Field Trip to Lake of the Ozarks State Park

– by Allison Vaughn On a freezing Saturday morning, five members of CAS met at the AC parking lot to carpool to Lake of the Ozarks State Park. The original plan to hike Bluestem Knoll morphed into a hike on Rocky Top Trail as it provided more cover from the wind than the savanna of

Adopt-a-Trail

– by Bill Mees Several years ago, the city of Columbia instituted the Adopt-A-Trail program through its Parks and Recreation department. Beginning in 2017, Columbia Audubon Society assumed responsibility for a quarter mile segment of Scott‘s Branch Trail. The adopted segment runs along the south side of Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary and Bonnie View Nature

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Annual Chili Supper Potluck

6:00pm

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 is open to everyone — not just CBC birders — and will start at 6 p.m. at Fairview Road Community of Christ Church, 1111

Saturday, December 15, 2018

2018 Christmas Bird Count

All Day

On Saturday, December 15 we will be counting birds within a 15 mile radius of Rock Bridge Elementary school in south Columbia. This count circle is broken into many areas, each with a leader and helpers who try to find and count as many of the early-winter birds as possible. Most groups start early (sometimes

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Bird Walk for Children

3:00pm

Join us for a bird walk for children and their parents. This walk is open to children who have an interest in nature and birds, aged 8 to 15. We’ll meet at the Forum Nature Area parking lot and walk on the MKT trail to the east to walk in the 3M Wetlands. We’ll plan

Thursday, May 31, 2018

[Of Interest] ABC’s of Climate Change

8:30pm

ABC’s of Climate Change: How do we know the climate is changing and what is causing it? The science behind climate change in an easy to understand form. Speaker: Dr. Michael Urban, Associate Professor and Department Chair, Geography, University of Missouri. Dr. Urban regularly teaches classes on the science of climate change and does research

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

[Of Interest] CoMO Public Workshop on the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan

5:30pm

Climate change will intensify heat waves, droughts, and flooding in Columbia. How can we reduce our community’s impact on climate change and prepare our homes and neighborhoods? How should Columbia invest time and money to reduce emissions and build resilience? Join fellow Columbians on May 22 from 5:30-7:30pm for a community-wide workshop to share your

Sunday, March 25, 2018

The Many Uses of Native Plants For Your Yard

10AM

Featuring native plant expert, Dr. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall. Nadia will be joined by the City of Columbia’s stormwater engineer, Dillon Flesner and community conservationist, Danielle Fox. Learn from the experts how to use native plants in your yard for stormwater mitigation, wildlife habitat, and edible landscaping. Location: Unite4Health Community Garden next to Columbia/Boone County Public Health

Saturday, Feb. 3

Free Feeder & Seed Pairing Workshop

10AM

Songbird Station is excited to partner with the Columbia Audubon Society in what promises to be an informative and fun workshop on Missouri’s backyard birds, how to make your backyard habitat more amenable for birds, and information on this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count (going on February 16-19). Songbird Station’s General Manager & birding enthusiast

Saturday, Dec 2, 2017

Free Woodpecker Seminar

1pm

Bring a friend to Songbird Station (2010 Chapel Plaza Ct.) for a FREE Woodpecker Seminar including Q&A presented by Julie and Jim Lundsted. Saturday, Dec 2, 2017 at 1pm.

Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017

BIRDWISE! childrens’ program

2pm

Become bird wise as you uncover the unique adaptations of birds through activities that look closely at their beaks, feet and feathers. Presented by members of the Columbia Audubon Society in the Childrens Program Room at the Columbia branch of the Daniel Boone Regional Library. Free! Ages 8-15. Parents welcome. To register, call the library at

Saturday, Oct 28, 2017

Hart Creek CA and Katy Trail field trip

We will hike for 3-4 miles and will return by noon. Bring bug spray and anything you need for a hike. For more information on Hart Creek Conservation area: https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/hart-creek-ca Leader: Eric Seaman, 573-529-0530 Carpool departs 7:30am from the AC Commuter Parking Lot.

Saturday, Oct 21, 2017

Bradford Farms field trip

7:30am

We will leave the Auditorium parking lot at 7:30 a.m. to explore Bradford Farms until around 11 a.m. A mostly walking field trip looking for sparrows, raptors, and a mix of late summer birds and early winter migrants. Leader: Brad Jacobs