CAS Events Listings
Columbia Audubon Society field trips and events are informal and friendly. Advanced registration is (normally) not required and all participants are welcomed, whether or not they are CAS members. Please help us maintain this relaxed approach by being prepared for the risks inherent in such activities (especially those involving the outdoors and/or driving), acting responsibly, and understanding that complete elimination of risk is not possible. Further guidelines are available for field trip leaders and participants.
October 23, 2025 | 6:30PM
Book Signing: The Everyday Naturalist: how to identify plants, animals and fungi wherever you go
When: Thursday, October 23, 6:30pm
Where: Skylark Bookshop, 22 S 9th St, Columbia, MO 65201
Who’s invited: You! And all your nature-loving friends!
The Everyday Naturalist: How to Identify Animals, Plants, and Fungi Wherever You Go (Ten Speed Press/Penguin Random House, June 2025) is a beginner-friendly guide to nature identification. Author Rebecca Lexa walks the reader through what traits to pay attention to on an unknown animal, plants, or mushroom, and how to use your observations to figure out what species you’ve found. No experience is necessary, and it’s not region-specific so you can use it anywhere. Helpful templates make it easy to organize your observations, and illustrations by artist Ricardo Macía Lalinde highlight key concepts throughout the book.
The book signing event features Rebecca’s talk, “Five Reasons to be an Everyday Naturalist”, which outlines some of the highlights of getting to know your nature neighbors by name. Audience participation is encouraged during interactive portions of the talk, and questions are welcome! And, of course, you can purchase your own copy of The Everyday Naturalist and get it signed.
About the author: Rebecca Lexa, MA, OMN, grew up in Rolla and is now an Oregon Master Naturalist, nature educator, and tour guide in the Pacific Northwest. Through her classes, tours, and writings, she endeavors to spend as much time as possible connecting people to the natural world while encouraging curiosity and personal experiences. More about Rebecca and her work may be found at RebeccaLexa.com.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | 6-7:30 PM
October Membership Meeting: “Monarchs, Milkweed, and the Milky Way” by Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale
For the October Membership meeting, join us for a lecture by Dr. Vayujeet Gokhale (Truman State University) who will discuss the importance of the Lights Out Program in his talk titled “Monarchs, Milkweed, and the Milky Way.” This talk will be co-sponsored by Daniel Boone Regional Library and DarkSky Missouri.
This presentation calls on all nature lovers to work together toward a comprehensive approach to conservation, following in the footsteps of Rachel Carson and Doug Tallamy. The ability to see the Milky Way at night from one’s front yard is just as much an indicator of a healthy, natural environment as is the presence of a pesticide free, natural habitat with natives that attracts, say, the iconic monarch butterflies. Just as pesticides and invasive species degrade precious and life-nourishing natural resources such as soil and water, the indiscriminate use of unshielded, bright blue-white LED light degrades another underappreciated natural resource: natural darkness at night. Most living beings need this darkness – humans and other animals need it to regulate much needed sleep, and to maintain and improve their mental and physical health.
Most birds migrate at night in the cover of darkness, whilst many lifeforms take advantage of the darkness to forage, hunt, and breed. Responsible outdoor lighting is not just good for the environment and human health, but it also enhances the safety of pedestrians and drivers by reducing direct glare and clutter. In this presentation, we will discuss the relatively straightforward steps you can take to protect natural nighttime conditions in a manner that is not only safe, aesthetically pleasing, ecologically responsible, but also addresses the legitimate outdoor lighting needs in our communities.
Vayujeet Gokhale is a professor of physics and astronomy at Truman State University. He earned his BSc. in physics (’96) and MSc. in nuclear physics (’98) from the University of Bombay, followed by a PhD in astronomy from Louisiana State University (2007). He lives just outside of Kirksville, Missouri with his wife Michelle, two young kids, a dog and a cat. Dr. Gokhale maintains his sanity by watching Seinfeld, Quentin Tarantino movies, and listening to dad rock. He loves the night sky, and is training to be a Missouri Master Gardener and Master Naturalist. Dr. Gokhale adores America’s National Parks and dreams of someday becoming an astronomy park ranger at the Arches National Park in Utah.
Please note the location of this month’s meeting at the Daniel Boone Regional Library (Columbia) and slightly earlier time, 6:00 PM, to accommodate library hours.
Map to the Daniel Boone Regional Library
Contact: Emma Buckingham buckinghame@missouri.edu
Friday, November 7, 2025 | 8:00 a.m.
First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands
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 Wetland Trail, just off the MKT Trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station parking lot (map) at 8 a.m. sharp and then drive down the hill to park near the wetlands (less than a 5 min. drive). We’ll enjoy all the Missouri birds in this natural, lush landscape. The walk is about 1.75 miles on a level, gravel trail. Waterproof shoes are recommended, but not required. After our walk, we’ll return to Songbird Station by 11 a.m. and enjoy coffee and donuts.
Feel free to review the CAS field trip guidelines for participants and leaders!
Contact: Lottie Bushmann, lottie.bushmann@gmail.com
Sunday, November 16, 2025 | 2:30 PM (field trip); 3:30 PM (social)
Birds and Brews: Stephens Lake Trip + Logboat Social
Feel free to take part in one or both components of the afternoon’s activities:
Part 1: Field trip to Stephens Lake Park (2:30 p.m. to ~3:20 p.m.)
Meet at the upper parking lot (near the playground), accessed from Broadway, for a short birding session at Stephens Lake Park. We expect to see wintering and resident songbird species, along with woodpeckers, though there are no guarantees when birding! The trail is mostly flat and paved. Expect to walk 1 to 1.5 miles. Led by Ben West.
Part 2: Social at Logboat Brewing Company (3:30 to ~5:00 p.m.)
Hang out with birders and discuss birds (plus nature in general, geology, and more)! Perhaps there will be gossip about goldfinches. Or chat about chats.
Swallow some beer if you desire, but non-drinkers are equally welcome at this family friendly venue. Beer, hard cider, and non-alcoholic options are available from Logboat. Food trucks are sometimes an option, and bringing your own food/water is always allowed.
Wren you’re there, time may fly swiftly, and you’ll have no egrets.
We’ll hope to grab a table outdoors on the upper deck, but if you don’t see us there, take a gander. For those new to the group, clues to identify us include bird-themed table decorations.
Photo caption: Some avian friends enjoying their time at Logboat Brewing Co.’s upper deck. Photo by Eric Reuter.
Contact: Ben West, Email: benjwest AT gmail DOT com
November 19, 2025 | 7-8 PM
November Membership Meeting: Greg Renner on the history and artistry of decoy making
Please join us for our November Membership meeting, presented by Greg Renner.
Renner, an expert in and collector of early-20th century duck decoys, will be presenting a talk titled, “History and Artistry of Decoy Making, with particular attention to decoy making done in the State of Missouri.” Greg will discuss the history and basic art of decoy making, as well as the storied practice of decoy manufacturing in the state of Missouri. He will bring examples from his collection of wooden, hand-painted decoys made in Jefferson City between 1921-1945, when there were three different decoy manufacturers in the city. Greg’s talk promises to appeal not only to collectors and hunters, but also anyone who might have an interest in the various species of waterfowl that were imitated by early decoy making.
Contact: Emma Buckingham: buckinghame@missouri.edu
Black Friday, November 28, 2025 | 4:00 p.m.
Black(bird) Friday: Evening at a Boone County Roost
Whether or not you spend part of Black Friday in a shopping frenzy, there’s an evening opportunity to celebrate the day as Blackbird Friday by visiting a Boone County roost that has hosted millions of blackbirds on a nightly basis at this time of year in recent years.
The evening arrival of huge flocks of blackbirds creates a spectacle that can wow non-birders as well as the most well-traveled birders. But just how a given night will play out is always a bit of a surprise, as factors that affect roosting concentrations and locations aren’t well understood. The best way to find out is to visit. Everyone is welcome to attend, including visiting family members. Leaders Eric and Joanna Reuter will be on-site to describe the background history of the roost, then we’ll watch as the show unfolds; each time is unique.
One disclaimer: Human cases of histoplasmosis (a fungal infection) have been associated with other blackbird roosts with a multi-year presence. We have no way to assess the actual risk here. Use your own judgment about whether this is a good trip for you.
Where: Meet at the site (click here for map; note that Google shows the name of the road as “Dun Bar” even though it is actually “Dunbar”). The viewing area is at the end of a dead-end gravel road with plenty of parking along the side of the road. No bathrooms are available.
When: Sunset on November 28 is ~4:48 p.m. We’ll gather at 4:00 p.m and expect to stay through ~5:45 p.m. Dress warm, as the temperature tends to drop precipitously with the setting sun. In the event of weather that creates hazardous road conditions, any necessary postponement updates will be on the listing on the CAS website.
Additional background on the roost:
- A short video about the roost: https://youtu.be/SO9AHgtRkSo
- “Birds in Big Numbers” (2023 talk for the Missouri River Bird Observatory): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omK7d7U4G2g
- An article about the roost: September 2020 Bluebird, (p. 169-182).
- The original article for The Chat that led to the “discovery” of the roost: https://www.columbia-audubon.org/birds-in-big-numbers-flocks-of-blackbirds-and-starlings/
Feel free to review the CAS field trip guidelines for participants and leaders!
Contact: Joanna & Eric Reuter, birds@ozarkoutsider.com
Friday, December 5, 2025 | 8:00 a.m.
First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands
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 Wetland Trail, just off the MKT Trail near Forum Blvd. We’ll meet at the Songbird Station parking lot (map) at 8 a.m. sharp and then drive down the hill to park near the wetlands (less than a 5 min. drive). We’ll enjoy all the Missouri birds in this natural, lush landscape. The walk is about 1.75 miles on a level, gravel trail. Waterproof shoes are recommended, but not required. After our walk, we’ll return to Songbird Station by 11 a.m. and enjoy coffee and donuts.
Feel free to review the CAS field trip guidelines for participants and leaders!
Contact: Lottie Bushmann, lottie.bushmann@gmail.com
Date/time of your choice
Self-guided moss walk: Wild Haven Nature Area
Have you taken the time to examine mosses close up? And to think about the relationships between mosses and birds? We’re excited to announce a new, self-guided moss walk at Wild Haven Nature Area that encourages you to do just that!
The trail guide is formatted to be easily read on a mobile device (with the goal of saving paper; please don’t print it).
Download the guide here.
The total length of the hike is under a mile, but it’s easy for time to fly when examining mosses, so plan for at least a couple of hours at Wild Haven. Conditions in winter and early spring are ideal for looking at mosses; sunlight bathes the forest floor, ticks aren’t especially active, and neotropical migrants aren’t yet distracting. But the trail can be completed at any time of year.
We suggest that you bring:
—A hand lens or magnifying glass. This will help you appreciate the miniature world of mosses.
—A spray bottle with water (but no chemical residues). Use to rehydrate mosses when conditions are dry; watch the leaves swell with water in front of your eyes.
—A water bottle for yourself, plus snacks, standard hiking gear, and binoculars for the birds.
No potable water is available at Wild Haven, but there is an outhouse (hand-crafted by CAS volunteers).
Louise Flenner developed this trail to share her knowledge and enthusiasm about mosses and their importance to birds. Thanks, Louise!
Please direct questions and comments to:
Louise Flenner (lflenner@hotmail.com), developer of the moss trail
John Besser (jbesser1@gmail.com), Nature Area chair
David Neely (dustandwood@gmail.com), volunteer manager of Wild Haven Nature Area
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 | 5:00 PM to ~6:30 PM
Winter Weeknight Social at Bur Oak Brewing Co.
Hang out with birders and discuss winter bird happenings. Perhaps there will be gossip about goldfinches. Or chat about chats.
Swallow some beer if you desire, but non-drinkers are equally welcome at this family friendly venue. Beer, hard cider, and non-alcoholic sparkling water are available from Bur Oak, and they have Shakespeare’s frozen pizzas that are cooked to order.
Wren you’re there, time may fly swiftly, and you’ll have no egrets. For those new to the group, clues to identify us include bird-themed table decorations.
Details subject to change based on winter driving conditions and Bur Oak’s event schedule; check back as the date gets closer!
Contact: Ben West, Email: benjwest AT gmail DOT com