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.
Tuesday, April 28, 2026 | 7:00 PM to 8:45 PM
Swift Night Out: A Tour of Bird-Friendly Chimneys in Downtown Columbia
Meet at corner of 6th and Cherry St (in front of the parking garage)
Join us to explore the architecture of downtown Columbia from the perspective of Chimney Swifts, and to watch for possible roosting activity during spring migration.
These fascinating birds use open chimneys as overnight roost sites, otherwise remaining in constant flight. Trip leaders Eric & Joanna Reuter have observed flocks of swifts roosting in chimneys on 12 downtown buildings. This walk will feature many of these locations while discussing the surprising behavioral complexity of these birds.
In addition to admiring architecture, we’ll watch and listen for all species of birds in this urban area that often has considerable avian activity. The walk is timed to arrive at the most likely sites for swift activity around sunset (7:59 p.m. on April 28), in hopes of watching some spring migration roosting action over the subsequent half an hour. The prior year’s spring Swift Night Out event featured an estimated 400 Chimney Swifts entering a roost. Migration timing and chimney choice are not entirely predictable, however, so we make no promises!
Meet at the corner of 6th and Cherry (in front of the parking garage) at 7:00 p.m. Total round trip walking distance ~2 miles on city streets. We’ll return to the starting point by approximately 8:45 p.m. Bring binoculars if you have them.
No rain date is planned, so the event will go on rain or shine, unless threat of severe weather forces cancellation. For updates, check the Columbia Audubon listing: https://www.columbia-audubon.org/swifts_spring_2026
This walk is co-sponsored by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Columbia Audubon Society.
Contact: Erin Holmes, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, erin_l_holmes@fws.gov
Friday, May 1, 2026 | 8:00 AM
First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands
Meet in parking lot of Songbird Station
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.
Contact: Lottie Bushman, lottie.bushmann@gmail.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 | 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM
Kiwanis Park: Birding Without Bush Honeysuckle
Meet at Talbert Thurston Shelter
The Missouri Conservation Corps, a local nonprofit, has been working hard on Kiwanis Park ecosystem restoration, including removing bush honeysuckle and planting native trees and shrubs.
What birds make use of this improved habitat? The Columbia Audubon Society has been asked to help find out!
On Wednesday, May 6, near the peak of spring songbird migration, we’ll explore the park while listening to and looking for birds.
All skill levels welcome. If you’d like to borrow binoculars, please be in touch, as a few loaner pairs can be made available if needed.
Meet at the Talbert Thurston shelter, located west of Maplewood Drive. We’ll start at 7 a.m. and bird until about 9 a.m.
In the event of inclement weather, the walk will be postponed to Thursday, May 7. Please refer to the listing on the Columbia Audubon Society website (https://www.columbia-audubon.org/kiwanis-park-may-2026/) for official updates on trip status.
Contact: John Besser, jbesser1@gmail.com
Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 6:30 to 7:30 PM
Weeknight Social at Logboat Brewing Co.: Pre-Global Big Day Edition
Join us at Logboat Brewing Company! Meet-up with fellow birders while making plans to take part in Global Big Day on Saturday, May 9, or ask others what they’re bringing to the CAS spring potluck on Sunday, May 10!
Regarding Global Big Day, we hope to:
- to get lots of folks out looking at (& listening to) birds on Saturday,
- to make connections between birders with varying skill levels so they can bird together,
- to spread out our efforts in a variety of places, at various times, and potentially through various modes of travel (hiking, biking, vehicle), and
- let folks self-organize in a fun way, live and in person, without a million emails!
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. The organizer will try to remember to bring bird plushies to mark our tables! We will be outside, possibly on the upper deck.
From 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., we’ll encourage participants to find birding buddies and make plans for Global Big Day. Feel free to show up early or stay late for additional socialization!
If you want to partner up with others on Global Big Day but cannot attend the social, either email the social event organizer before the Thursday social or ask folks on the CAS Facebook page. If you email the organizer, let him know where, when, and how long you would like to go birding on Saturday, and he will try to match you with someone at the social!
Disclaimer: Though CAS is encouraging folks to bird together, CAS does not view the outings on Global Big Day as official CAS-sponsored events from a liability perspective.
Contact: Ben West; benjwest@gmail.com
May 9, 2026
Global Big Day!
The second Saturday in May of each year is the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s eBird Global Big Day! This coincides with peak songbird migration in central Missouri, so it’s a great excuse to head outside in order to look and listen for birds. Check out the article in the April 2025 edition of The Chat on “A new tradition for Birding Big Day!”. (Note: Links in that Chat article are for the 2025 events!)
Our hope is that many small groups will expand our reach across the landscape. We hope many of you will join us at the May 7 social/planning event at Logboat Brewing Co. to connect with birding buddies for your Global Big Day outings.
You can also bird on your own: Bird anywhere you like: In your backyard, in a nature area, even in a parking lot; wherever you are, there are probably birds! You can use the Merlin app to help with identification of bird sounds, though please always maintain a healthy skepticism with regard to Merlin’s results; it is amazing technology, but it does make errors!
Contribute to community science by submitting your Global Big Day bird observations to eBird.
Disclaimer: Though CAS is encouraging folks to bird together, CAS does not view these outings as official CAS-sponsored events from a liability perspective.
Contact: N/A
Sunday, May 10, 2026 | Bird walk at 3:30 PM, Potluck at 5:30 PM
May 2026 Potluck and Bird Walk at Bonnie View and CANS
Meet at Bonnie View Shelter
Contact: Lottie Bushman, lottie.bushmann@gmail.com
Friday, June 5, 2026 | 8:00 AM
First Friday Bird Hike: 3M Wetlands
Meet in parking lot of Songbird Station
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.
Contact: Lottie Bushman, lottie.bushmann@gmail.com