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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

Field Trip: First Day hike at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park

2:30–4:30 p.m.

NOTE: DNR requests pre-registration for this hike; visit the official listing and follow the registration link. Celebrate the New Year with the Columbia Audubon Society by joining an afternoon birding hike at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park on January 1st, 2020. We’ll walk the Grassland Trail from 2:30–4:30 p.m., exploring the mixed grassland, shrub, and

January meeting: Sarah Kendrick, State Ornithologist

7:00 p.m.

Missouri’s State of the Birds: Updates and Excitement in Conservation Come hear Sarah talk about exciting updates and developments in statewide bird conservation, namely the Missouri Bird Conservation Plan, Motus Wildlife Tracking System update in Missouri, and a sneak peek into planning for Brown-headed Nuthatch reintroduction to Missouri in 2020! The meeting begins at 7:00

Field Trip: Great Backyard Feeder Crawl

8:00 a.m.

As part of the 2020 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), CAS will lead its annual Feeder Crawl on Saturday, February 15th. Starting at Songbird Station at 8 a.m, we’ll “crawl” to various backyard bird feeders in and around the Columbia area and count birds for at least 15 minutes at each backyard, then submit each

February meeting: Visiting Magee Marsh, a presentation by Bill Palmer

6:00 p.m.

Meeting time change: Please note that the February meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m., an hour earlier than usual, to discuss and vote on a proposal for CAS to support the development of the Boone County Nature School. Bill Palmer’s presentation will begin at 7:00 p.m.: Magee Marsh in northwest Ohio is a natural trap

Join St. Louis Audubon at Clarence Cannon NWR

7:30 a.m.

Carpool will leave at 6:00 a.m. from Moser's (900 N Keene St., Columbia)

NOTE: The destination for this event has changed from Riverlands to Clarence Cannon NWR due to a rescheduling by St. Louis Audubon. See updated listing below; this may be updated again if more changes are announced. St. Louis Audubon will be leading an all-day birding trip from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to Clarence Cannon

Field trip: Birding without binoculars at Stephens Lake Park

2:30 p.m. to ~4:00 p.m.

Birds can be enjoyed with the naked eye, and doing so can challenge birders of all skill levels to become keener observers of various species’ characteristics. On this trip, we’ll walk a loop at Columbia’s Stephens Lake Park to practice observing, listening to, and identifying common winter birds using just our own senses. All skill

POSTPONED Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area 25th Anniversary Open House

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Due to unfavorable weather forecast and concerns about coronavirus safety, this event is being postponed. Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, one of the region’s premier bird-watching and conservation areas, will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year with an open house on March 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (read about the history of Eagle

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

REVISED Timberdoodle trek

Time: dusk

The Timberdoodle trek field trip, which has traditionally been well-attended, has been canceled as a formal scheduled field trip given the ongoing recommendation to avoid all non-essential gatherings. Woodcocks are present in many local natural areas and can be found and enjoyed without gathering a group in a single time and place. Sunday’s forecast with

UPDATED Self-guided Wild Haven wildflower walk

Update (4/12): Roxie has updated the wildflower signs. Wildflowers that are at their prime time include bluebells, false rue anemones, and spring beauties. Several others are in bloom as well. The originally planned field trip has been canceled and is being revised as a self-guided walk. Beginning March 29 and continuing through April, you are

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

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.

May meeting

The May meeting tradition is to hold a pot-luck picnic. A decision will be made at a later date regarding the status of this event. Please check back for details.

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

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

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

Wild Haven Hike and Honeysuckle Hack

2:00 to 5:00pm

Sunday, October 4 from 2 to 5 p.m. Wild Haven Hike and Honeysuckle Hack. Enjoy a guided hike of about 2.5 miles round trip at Wild Haven and cut and treat bush honeysuckle all while working at a ‘social distance.’ Become familiar with the white and yellow trails which were cleared and marked this summer.

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

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.

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.

CAS Virtual Membership Meeting and Program Is Wednesday, Nov. 18 — “See” You Then!

7pm

We hope you will join us via Zoom for our next membership meeting and program at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Mike Powell, executive director of the Greenbelt Land Trust of Mid-Missouri, will provide an update on Greenbelt projects, help us understand how land trusts work, and highlight ways that Columbia Audubon and GLT

Winter Bird Identification with the Missouri Birding Society

7:00pm

The Missouri Birding Society is offering a winter bird identification workshop—via Zoom—on Friday, December 11, at 7 p.m. The workshop, titled “BRRRding: Common Winter Bird ID,” will be led by Sarah Kendrick, state ornithologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, and Dana Ripper, co-founder/director of the Missouri River Bird Observatory. You don’t have to be

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.

CAS January Meeting and Program on Grassland Birds with MRBO

7:00pm

Join us via Zoom for the CAS monthly membership meeting and program on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. Paige Witek, education coordinator with the Missouri River Bird Observatory, will present the program on grassland birds, some of our most vulnerable species. She will talk about MRBO’s Grassland Birds Monitoring Project and why the work

Great Backyard Bird Count

All Presidents’ Day weekend, the Great Backyard Bird Count happens on ebird. Visit www.birdcount.org for more information!

February Meeting and Program: Featuring Filmmaker Tim Barksdale

7:00pm

CAS February Meeting and Program by Filmmaker Timothy Barksdale Wednesday, February 17, 2021 7 p.m. Zoom Filmmaker Timothy Barksdale, Birdman Productions, will share trailers from past work and films currently in production. One of Tim’s recent projects, “Battle on the Booming Grounds: The Last Dance of the Prairie Chicken,” has appeared in film festivals around

March Webinar: Intro to Spring Birdwatching with Sarah Kendrick

7:00pm

A Special Webinar Co-sponsored by Columbia Audubon Society and the Columbia Public Library Intro to Birdwatching & Spring Bird Identification with State Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick Wednesday, March 17, 2021 7 p.m. Zoom Webinar Sarah Kendrick, state ornithologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, will help you identify birds by sight and sound and get ready

Wildflower Walk at Wild Haven

2:00-5:00pm

Enjoy the beauty of spring wildflowers in bloom as we walk the white and yellow trails (total distance of about 2 miles). We expect to see over a dozen species of wildflowers in bloom and it will be prime time to see the bluebells and trilliums. We’ll also become familiar with the trails, enjoy the

April Meeting: Bird Songs and Sounds with Ethan Duke of MRBO

7pm

CAS April Meeting and Program on Bird Songs and Sounds with Ethan Duke, Missouri River Bird Observatory Wednesday, April 21, 2021 7 p.m. Zoom Ethan Duke, co-founder/director of the Missouri River Bird Observatory, will present cool facts, tips, and useful tools for learning bird sounds. He will talk about how to learn sounds, particularly with

Fieldtrip with Missouri Birding Society-Rock Bridge Memorial SP

8:00am-12:00pm

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Devil’s Icebox Parking lot We will meet at the parking lot and divide into smaller groups and head out on various trails including: High Ridge Trail, Spring Brook Trail, the boardwalk, Sinkhole trail, Shooting Star and Karst Trail. We’ll bird until we’re ready to head back to the parking lot.

North American Migratory Bird Count-May 8

Join CAS for the Boone County migration count on May 8. Columbia Audubon Society will continue its tradition of doing a Boone County-wide Bird Count on the second Saturday of May (May 8 this year). Our count will be held on the same day the ‘Global Big Day’ promoted by eBird, and all the data

Joint Field Trip with MBS: Birding at the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary

8:00am-12:00pm

Birding at CANS—Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary All fieldtrip attendees will need to wear a mask and socially distance as much as possible. We’ll walk and enjoy this special nature area right in the middle of Columbia. In addition to our resident birds, we’ll be on the lookout for migrating warblers. John Besser and Lottie Bushmann

Migratory Bird Count-May 8

All Day

Global Big Day is May 8 this year, the second Saturday of the month. CAS will be participating through eBird. Much like the Christmas Bird Count, each group will enter their checklist in to eBird as usual. Groups should submit as many checklists for their count area as needed to reflect what locations they birded

Joint Field Trip with MBS: 3M Wetlands

8:00am-12:00pm

All trips will require birders to wear masks and to socially distance as much as possible. Tuesday, May 11 8:00 – 12:00 Birding at 3M Wetlands We’ll meet at the Forum Nature Area parking lot and walk to 3M. It is approximately 2 miles of walking on level trails. There should be lots to

Joint Field Trip with MBS: 3M Wetlands-Great for Beginners!

8:00am-12:00pm

3M Wetland Bird Walk especially for beginners! We’ll meet at the Forum Nature Area parking lot and walk to 3M. It is approximately 2 miles of walking on level trails. There should be lots to see and beginners are encouraged to attend. Edge Wade and Lottie Bushmann will lead. In addition to our resident species,

Wild Haven Bird Walk: Sunday May 16, 8:30-11:30 am

8:30-11:30am

Join us for a bird walk at Wild Haven. We’ll explore the varied habitats along Wild Haven‘s hiking trails. Songbird migration should be near its peak.

Cancelled: Annual Picnic at Wild Haven Nature Area-May 22, 2021

4:00pm-7:00pm

With the forecast for continuing rain, we have decided to cancel the CAS Annual Picnic scheduled for 4-7 p.m. Saturday at Wild Haven Nature Area. We are concerned about muddy conditions on the trails and the parking areas. We had planned to hold a brief meeting during the picnic and ask CAS members to approve

June 2021 Wild Haven work day

9am–noon

Wild Haven workday, Sunday June 13, 9 AM-noon This is the last workday at Wild Haven before we take a summer break. Contact: John Besser (jbesser1@gmail.com; 573-639-2211) Planned tasks: Remove fencing materials and railroad ties from along the new trail around the east pond. Demolish and fill in the older and more decrepit of the

Wild Haven Work Day-Sept. 11, 8am-Noon

8am-Noon

In preparation for the upcoming Open House and Picnic at Wild Haven, we plan to do some clean-up around the picnic area on Saturday Sept. 11. We have ordered a roll-off dumpster and we plan to dispose of some fencing and some landscaping timbers. We also hope to demolish and dump one or both of

Open House and Picnic at Wild Haven

3-6:30 p.m.

Columbia Audubon members, friends and neighbors are invited to stop by, starting at 3 p.m., to learn about improvements recently completed at Wild Haven Nature Area as well as future plans. We’ll have light refreshments and activities, featuring a demonstration with live raptors (hawks and owls) presented by the University of Missouri Raptor Rehabilitation Project.

Noah Strycker Presentation at MU

6 pm

Author and “bird man” Noah Strycker will deliver the keynote address at the annual meeting of the Friends of Mizzou Botanic Garden on Friday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m., in Monsanto Auditorium, located in the Bond Life Sciences Center on the University of Missouri campus. Columbia Audubon is co-sponsoring the event, along with the Missouri

Big Sit at Bradford Farm with Noah Strycker-Oct. 16

8:00am-5:00pm

Noah will participate in the CAS ‘Big Sit’ on Saturday October 16 at the University’s Bradford Research and Extension Center (4968 S. Range Line Rd., Columbia, MO 65201). We will count and identify birds seen from our Big Sit count circle near the large pond on the west side of the area (see star on

October Membership Meeting & Book Discussion

7pm

Join us for our first in-person, regular monthly membership meeting and program since February 2020. CAS President Jim Gast and Education Co-chair Lottie Bushmann will lead a discussion of Noah Strycker’s book Birding Without Borders. The membership meeting will follow. Please plan to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Sierra Club’s Zoom Meeting on Columbia’s Renewable Energy Potential-10/21, 7pm

7:00pm

The Sierra Club has invited the Columbia Audubon Society to their Zoom meeting to discuss the conversion of Columbia’s energy sources to 100% renewable energy for Columbia Water & Light by 2030, 2035, or 2040. October 28 is the Public Input Meeting, and in this Zoom call on October 21, we’ll discuss the scenario briefing.

Rescheduled Fireline Installation at Wildhaven Nature Area: Oct. 31 1:30-5:00

1:30pm-5:00pm

We will try again to prepare fire lines at Wild Haven for a prescribed burn planned for later this fall. We will gather on Sunday at the picnic shelter 6900 E. O’Rear Road, starting at 1:30 PM. One of the leaders will remain at the shelter until at least 2 PM to meet late arrivals.

First Friday Bird Walk: November 5

8:00am

First Friday Fun! Join the Columbia Audubon Society for a bird walk. This walk is open to anyone who enjoys birds and beginners are encouraged to attend. We will walk at the 3M Wetlands trail, just off the MKT trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station Parking lot at 8 a.m. sharp

Missouri Young Birders Club Field Trip to Rock Bridge Memorial State Park- 11/6/21 9am-11am

9:00am-11:00am

The Missouri Young Birders Club will be hosting a fieldtrip for youth between 8 and 17 years old (families welcome!) at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. We will meet at the Rockbridge Mills picnic shelter and take a short hike to look for birds. Park Naturalist Roxie Campbell will be joining us to answer nature-related

CAS November Meeting and Update on Missouri State Parks

7pm

Join us via Zoom for the CAS monthly membership meeting and program on Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. Missouri Parks Association Executive Director Kendra Varns Wallis and MPA Vice President Shirley Wolverson will join us from Kansas City and St. Louis, respectively, via Zoom to report on the status of our state parks. They

CoMoGives Campaign Underway!

CoMoGives officially began Tuesday, November 30, 2021. This online community fundraising platform provides 148 nonprofit groups, including Columbia Audubon Society, an opportunity to raise funds for their organizations. In 2020, 109 donors contributed over $12,350 to CAS through CoMoGives. Our goal for the 2021 campaign is $10,000. CoMoGives is the only fundraising effort for CAS.

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Saturday, December 14, 2019

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

Saturday, February 15

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Saturday, February 22

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Saturday, March 14

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

March 2020

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April 11-22, 2020

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

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Wednesday, November 17, 2021