Archives

Note from the President

I can’t believe it’s already November. Lottie Bushmann’s First Friday Field Trip kicks off on November 5th. Contact Lottie at lottie.bushmann@gmail.com for more information. The CoMoGives campaign starts on Tuesday, November 30th (Giving Tuesday). November Program Features Missouri Parks Association We’re going back to the Zoom format for our November 17th membership meeting. Two special

Band With Nature at CANS 2021

The weather was “iffy” at best for the 2nd grade field trip, Raptor Rehab was unsure they would be able to attend, MRBO was going to offer a program not attempted with this age group and the banding station was all new staff from Rockbridge High School. With this prelude, what could possibly go wrong?

Crepuscular Creep a Huge Success at CANS

A rainy Friday night did not deter over 250 people from attending the first-ever “Crepuscular Creepl” sponsored by Columbia Public Schools Science Department and Columbia Audubon Society. 125 carved pumpkins lit by glow sticks were displayed on the concrete trail from the entrance of Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary, down the path and across the boardwalk,

Noah Strycker Joins CAS for Big Sit at Bradford Farms

Approximately 35 Columbia Audubon members and special guests participated in an all-day “Big Sit” on Saturday, Oct. 16, at MU’s Bradford Farm–our first CAS field event since spring 2020. Vicki Park, Edge Wade, Noah Strycker, Lottie Bushmann and Paul McKenzie talk birds. Noah Strycker, author of “Birding Without Borders,” joined us for most of the

CoMo Gives Begins November 30!

Columbia Audubon Society will be participating in the annual CoMoGives online community fundraising campaign for area non-profit organizations. 148 organizations are participating in CoMoGives this year. CAS has participated in CoMoGives for six years. Over $48,000 has been raised for CAS during past CoMoGives campaigns. This is the only fundraising effort for Columbia Audubon Society.

CAS Board Meeting Highlights for October 20, 2021

Upon review and board approval, final meeting minutes are posted to the Minutes page. Following are highlights of the unapproved minutes from the last meeting: Committee Reports Communications The question is raised about whether to send out e-mails promoting events not hosted by CAS, but that might be of interest to the CAS membership. Since

News and Notes from the President

Due to the recap of the Open House at Wildhaven Nature Area in the President’s note, this article will also serve as the Nature Areas Update. Conservation Chair I am pleased to announce that Dee Dokken is our new Conservation Chair. Dee joined the board in September. She also serves as Conservation Chair for the

Noah Strycker will join CAS for the ‘Big Sit’ at Bradford Farm, Oct. 16

To follow up on Noah Strycker’s presentation at MU on the evening of October 15, 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

CANS to host the “Crepuscular Creep” Educational Pumpkin Walk

Pumpkin carvers needed! Below is a flyer that Mike Szydlowski has designed to advertise the pumpkin walk at CANS. CAS as a Partner in Education is cooperating with the Columbia Public Schools’ Science Department for a pumpkin walk fund raiser. Funds raised will assist students to participate in the extracurricular educational field trips to Grand

CAS Board Meeting Highlights for September 15, 2021

Upon review and board approval, final meeting minutes are posted to the Minutes page. Following are highlights of the unapproved minutes from the last meeting: Treasurer’s Report Eric Seaman notes the receipt of a $100 donation intended for the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary (CANS), in memory of a North Boone County resident who liked to

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

Note from the President

Welcome Back! I hope you had an enjoyable summer. Conservation Chair Brooke Widmar, our Conservation Chair, is moving out of town so we need a new one. Job duties include: being alert to conservation issues including the conservation priorities of the National Audubon Society and of Missouri-based organizations such as the Conservation Federation of Missouri,

Wild Haven Open House and Annual Picnic

We hope you can make it! Open House and Picnic Scheduled at Wild Haven Nature Area on Sept. 19 Columbia Audubon Society members, friends and neighbors are invited to an Open House and Picnic at Wild Haven Nature Area on Sunday, Sept. 19, from 3-6:30 p.m. CAS leaders will be on hand to visit with

ComoGives Committee Seeking Winter Bird Photos

CAS CoMoGives Committee needs your help! The CAS CoMoGives Committee is seeking original, high-resolution photographs of a bird or multiple birds in winter for use in print and on-line materials during our upcoming CoMoGives campaign. You will be given full citation/credit for sharing your photography skills. Dig back in your photo archives to find your

Noah Strycker Talk and Field Trip in October

“Superstar” Birder Noah Strycker to Speak at MU Noah Strycker, author and self-described “bird man,” will visit Columbia on Friday, Oct. 15, as the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the Friends of Mizzou Botanic Garden. Columbia Audubon is co-sponsoring the event, along with the Missouri Birding Society, the MU Department of Fisheries and

A Note from a CAS Scholarship Recipient to Hog Island

Each year, the Columbia Audubon Society earmarks dollars from our Education Fund to send a teacher to the National Audubon Society’s Hog Island Camp for educators. This summer, we sent a few teachers, and here’s a report from recipient Heather Jones on her experience: It’s hard to put into words how attending Hog Island’s Educator

CAS Revised Bylaws-Please Review

Columbia Audubon Society Bylaws Adopted Date of Vote, 2021 Article I: Name This organization shall be known as the Columbia Audubon Society, Incorporated, hereinafter called Society. Article II: Purpose Section 1. The purpose and objectives of this Society shall be to preserve the natural world and its ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and the

CAS Board Meeting Highlights for August 18, 2021

Upon review and board approval, final meeting minutes are posted to the Minutes page. Following are highlights of the unapproved minutes from the last meeting: Committee Reports Nature Areas Bill Mees reports that one of the white oaks at Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary is already being listed as a point of interest, as part of

Boone County Migratory Bird Count Results- May 8, 2021

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected just about everything Columbia Audubon Society has done over the past year, but we have fought to maintain some of our traditions, including the Boone County-wide bird count held on the traditional ‘Big Day’, the second Saturday in May. Our ability to conduct this count during the pandemic has a

Nature Area Notes

NATURE AREA NOTES, May 2021 Progress at Wild Haven It’s been a busy year at Wild Haven, Columbia Audubon’s largest nature area. All the work that has been put into the area really shows, and we hope it will achieve our goal of making the area more welcoming and increasing public use of the area.

Note from the President

Board Election Results Congratulations to Greg Leonard who won re-election to the board. He will be serving another three-year term as director. Picnic on May 22nd Instead of a monthly meeting for May, we will be holding a picnic at Wild Haven on Saturday, May 22nd from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Provided there is

Changes in Membership Dues

This month, the board approved updating the membership levels and amounts. Membership levels have not been reviewed in over ten years so we decided it was time to streamline the categories. The new updates are as follows: $15 – Student and Senior (65+) $25 – Individual $40 – Family* $60 – Donor* $300 – Friend*

CoMo Gives Committee Seeks Volunteers

The 2021 CoMoGives Committee is looking for interested CAS members and friends to help with the 2021 CoMoGives Community Fundraising Campaign which is sponsored by the Community Foundation of Central Missouri. If you like writing, photo selection and/or have technical skills, this is the job for you! Put your skills to work with other dedicated

New CAS Bylaws

If You Approve: New CAS Bylaws

Please read the proposed bylaws that are being offered for your consideration and approval. Some of the amendments are necessary to comply with life under COVID-19. Currently there are no provisions for conducting the business of CAS electronically. Additionally, this presents an opportunity to clarify other questions: 1. How many eligible votes accompany a family

Revised, Updated Enjoying Missouri’s Birds Now Available

State ornithologist Sarah Kendrick’s careful, page-by-page analysis and revision Enjoying Missouri’s Birds, a 42-page 6.5×9” FREE revised edition just out in March 2021 has a new sub-title: A Beginner’s Guide to Birding. It’ s available from MDC’s Nature Shop, either by toll-free phone at 877-521-8632 or online at mdcnatureshop.com, or at regional MDC offices, MDC

Nature Area Notes

All bird photos by John Besser, Nature Areas Committee: Indigo Bunting, Black and White Warbler, and Summer Tanager. Interpretive Panel signs by Jan Mees. Wild Haven wildflower walk draws a crowd About 20 people turned out for wildflower walk led by Roxie Campbell on April 11. The weather was great and lots of early wildflowers

Notes from the Conservation Chair: Spring Bird Migration!

Lights Out Campaign and other updates! May Conservation Updates: We’re in the final stretch of the 2021 Missouri legislative session – only 4 weeks left! That is plenty of time for great conservation successes like the Prescribed Burning Act (HB 369 and SB 301) to be passed, but damaging bills can still make it through,

CAS Meeting Highlights for April 20, 2021 & April 23, 2021

April 20, 2021 Board Meeting Membership The proposed updated membership levels will be: $15 Student/Senior (65+); $25 Individual; $40 Family; $60 Donor; $300 Friend All “Friends” (both commercial and private) are entitled to recognition in the Chat and on the website. The revised membership levels are approved by the board. Nature Areas Albert Children’s Area. Jim

Note from the President

April Election We have a three-year term board position to vote on . The only candidate is Greg Leonard, but you will be given an opportunity for a write-in candidate. Instead of voting at the April general meeting, we will be voting on-line and by regular mail. On Monday, April 19th, those members who receive

Upcoming Fieldtrips, Joint Fieldtrips with Missouri Birding Society in May!

These Columbia Audubon Society field trips are co-sponsored with the Missouri Birding Society (MBS, formerly Audubon Society of Missouri) as events in the MBS 2-week Spring Meeting activities taking place around the state. MBS, founded in 1901, is the independent statewide organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of birds and other wildlife; to education

Nature Area Notes

What’s in a name? Bill Mees, Nature Areas Chair, wants to put a new name on an old building. The former ‘workshop’ at Wild Haven is now retired, empty, and surprisingly tidy! This structure was built by Lee Jenkins, who donated Wild Haven to CAS, and It dates from the 1960’s or perhaps earlier.

Legislative Action: Note from the Conservation Chair

House Joint Resolution 55 (HJR 55) “Modifies the conservation commission membership composition and requires the election of the commissioners.” The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is governed by a four-person Conservation Commission, made up of members appointed by the governor, each serving year-year terms. HJR 55 wants to change all that, bringing membership from four to

News from the President

Board Position There’s still time to nominate someone for the three-year board position. To nominate someone, make sure they are willing to serve and submit that person’s name to Brooke Widmar at brookewidmar@gmail.com. You can also self-nominate. Nominations are due by March 9th. March Program On March 17th, in place of our regular monthly meeting,

Conservation Federation of Missouri Conference this week!

It’s the Conservation Federation of Missouri’s convention this week, March 1-6! Over this week, the 10 resource advisory committees will be meeting to present and vote on resolutions relating to conservation issues impacting Missouri. The pre-filed resolutions can be seen here: www.confedmo.org/resolutions2021/ General ticket registration for those break out sessions is already closed, but all week

Nature Area Notes

Most years, February is the month when winter’s grip loosens a bit and we get a hint of the coming spring. This year, we spent most of the month inside our homes, trying to avoid both coronavirus and frostbite. But we know that March will bring warm weather, spring wildflowers, and migrating birds, and many

Proposed Changes to Membership Levels

Reviewing membership subscriptions over the last decade, we’ve seen our members becoming increasingly generous with their support. As time has passed, the bulk of the local membership dues shifted from mostly $15 and $25 levels up to the $25 and $50 levels. Because of that — and also because these tiers have not been reviewed

Note from the President

Greetings, Columbia Audubon Society! We have a guest columnist from St. Louis Audubon Society this month, and great updates from our committees. Board Position up for Election There is one three-year board member position opening up that will need to be filled this year. I have appointed a nominating committee to find candidates. The committee

February is National Bird Feeding Month

February became National Bird Feeding month in 1994 by Congressman John Porter. Being one of the toughest months of the year for birds to survive, he was determined to help feed birds during this time. The month encourages people to provide food, water, and shelter to wild birds in areas with cold temperatures and limited natural

Nature Area Notes

Keeping Cats Indoors to Help Birds (and cats)

As St. Louis Audubon Society works towards protecting bird populations in Missouri, we cannot ignore the impact that free-roaming cats have on birds. In 2013, scientists estimated that free-roaming cats annually kill between 100-350 million birds in Canada and 1.3 – 4.0 billion birds annually in the US. In 2015, scientists further calculated that cat

Prescribed Fire Legislation in Missouri

Prescribed burns are an important management tool for many Missouri landscapes, and specifically for many bird habitats. Ground nesting birds and their offspring need open space on the ground for movement, and if there is too much thatch buildup, that will limit their ability to move around. There are countless other benefits to prescribed burns,

CAS Ends CoMoGives Campaign with Great Success!

Columbia Audubon Society (CAS) is happy to report the results of a successful 2020 CoMoGives (CMG) campaign. Thanks to the generosity of donors, CAS will add $12,400 to our treasury. These funds will be used to continue the CAS programs that support education (field trips for students, scholarships for teachers and support of the Boone

Note from the President

Happy New Year and welcome to 2021. One of the things my wife and I have been doing on New Year’s Day is recording the first bird we see of the year. Sometimes it’s a challenge. In 2018, the temperature was -7° F when we started our feeder count. The first bird we saw was

Columbia’s 2020 Christmas Bird Count is a Success!

Saturday, December 19 dawned clear and sunny, providing a lift for the dozens of birders who rose early to participate in the CAS Christmas Bird Count. Unfortunately, the day soon turned overcast, humid, and cold, making the day difficult for both birds and birders. Despite the unpleasant weather, eBird checklists rolled in steadily throughout the

CAS Board Meeting Highlights for December 16, 2020

Upon review and board approval, final meeting minutes are posted to the Minutes page. Following are highlights of the unapproved minutes from the last meeting: Motus Tower The Missouri Department of Conservation sign shop will manufacture the memorial plaque for the Brad Jacobs Memorial Motus Tower with funding from the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation. Nature

Activism for Bird Conservation

Start off the new year speaking up for birds, and take actions to stay informed on state, national, and global issues! According to the National Audubon Society, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is home to over 200 bird species. While this refuge is almost 3,000 miles away from us here in Missouri, it’s critical land

Note from the President

I hope all is going well with you and that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. December promises to be a busy month with the CoMoGives campaign starting on December 1st and the Christmas Bird Count on December 19th. Instead of our usually chili tallying supper we’ll be having a ZOOM meeting to discuss the day’s birding.

ComoGives Campaign Begins Dec. 1

CoMoGives officially begins December 1, 2020. This online platform provides 142 nonprofit groups, including Columbia Audubon Society, an opportunity to raise funds for their organizations. In 2019, 90 donors contributed over $10,000 to CAS through CoMoGives. Our goal for the 2020 campaign is $10,000. CoMoGives is the only fundraising effort for CAS. CAS is proud

Christmas Bird Count Details

All Day

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected nearly everything we do during 2020, and the Christmas Bird Count is no exception. Given the risks associated with face-to-face gatherings, The National Audubon Society has given local chapters like CAS the freedom to decide whether to conduct their local count or not. There is a strong sentiment among the

Archives

Saturday, September 11, 2021

20201219