CAS Events Listings

Chimney Swift Roost Watch (2nd of 3)

During fall migration, Chimney Swifts roost together in groups that often number in the hundreds or more. In the evening, as the sky really begins to darken, the birds swarm to the roost site, circle, and begin to drop into their communal roost.

And what is their modern roosting habitat? Chimneys, of course! This genuinely exciting birding spectacle occurs right in the heart of Columbia.

Since we don’t have enough data to predict the date of peak numbers, we’re going to add a little citizen science to the mix and run the trip several times to monitor for any changes. Please also feel free to observe on your own on other dates and submit to eBird, report to the MOBIRDS listserv, and/or send a report to the field trip coordinators by email (cherthollow@gmail.com).

Meet at the Armory building at the corner of N 7th and E Ash. The chimney is best viewed from the parking lot to the east; this lot has Permit Parking Only signs, but we’ve been told that parking is allowable for roost watching after 6 p.m. Downtown parking is also available in nearby garages (free after 6 p.m.) and at meters (which must be fed until 7 p.m.). If advance scouting shows that the birds are using a different location, we may tweak the plans, so please double-check the web listing before showing up on site.

All birders, new and experienced, are welcome; why not bring a friend? Missouri Young Birder’s Club members are certainly encouraged to attend!

This trip: Friday, September 29 at 6:45 p.m. (sunset: 6:55 p.m.), led by Eric & Joanna Reuter (cherthollow@gmail.com).

Other roost-watch trips:

• Tuesday, September 19 at 7:00 p.m. (sunset: 7:11 p.m.), led by Jim Gast.
• Monday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. (sunset: 6:39 p.m.), led by Eric & Joanna Reuter.

Read Joanna’s article on Chimney Swift roosts from the September 2023 issue of The Chat.

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 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. It is a moderate walk. 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. Led by Lottie Bushmann.

Chimney Swift Roost Watch (3rd of 3)

During fall migration, Chimney Swifts roost together in groups that often number in the hundreds or more. In the evening, as the sky really begins to darken, the birds swarm to the roost site, circle, and begin to drop into their communal roost. 

And what is their modern roosting habitat? Chimneys, of course! This genuinely exciting birding spectacle occurs right in the heart of Columbia.

Since we don’t have enough data to predict the date of peak numbers, we’re going to add a little citizen science to the mix and run the trip several times to monitor for any changes. Please also feel free to observe on your own on other dates and submit to eBird, report to the MOBIRDS listserv, and/or send a report to the field trip coordinators by email (cherthollow@gmail.com).

Meet at the Armory building at the corner of N 7th and E Ash. The chimney is best viewed from the parking lot to the east; this lot has Permit Parking Only signs, but we’ve been told that parking is allowable for roost watching after 6 p.m. Downtown parking is also available in nearby garages (free after 6 p.m.) and at meters (which must be fed until 7 p.m.). If advance scouting shows that the birds are using a different location, we may tweak the plans, so please double-check the web listing before showing up on site.

All birders, new and experienced, are welcome; why not bring a friend? Missouri Young Birder’s Club members are certainly encouraged to attend!

This trip: Monday, October 9 at 6:30 p.m. (sunset: 6:39 p.m.), led by Eric & Joanna Reuter (cherthollow@gmail.com).

Other roost-watch trips:

• Tuesday, September 19 at 7:00 p.m. (sunset: 7:11 p.m.), led by Jim Gast.
• Friday, September 29 at 6:45 p.m. (sunset: 6:55 p.m.), led by Eric & Joanna Reuter.

Read Joanna’s article on Chimney Swift roosts from the September 2023 issue of The Chat.

Second Saturday Birding: Perry Phillips Lake

• All skill levels are welcome!
• Meet at 4:00 p.m. at the parking lot on the southwest side of the lake, off Bristol Lake Parkway.
• Estimated walking distance is 1.6 miles along a flat loop trail with some gravel, lasting about 1.5 hours.
• Trip leader: Ben West, benjwest@gmail.com

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 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. It is a moderate walk. 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.

Second Saturday Birding

Introducing Second Saturday birding: A series of field trips with a variety of destinations and led by a variety of people.

November’s Second Saturday field trip will be led by John Besser. Check back for details.

November Membership Meeting: Using Trail and Trap Cameras by Bill Palmer

Following the Membership meeting, Bill will explain how he uses remote cameras to capture otherwise impossible to get photographs of birds including hawks, eagles and warblers as well as mammals such as deer, coyotes, and even bobcats. He will share how you can set-up a remote camera in your own yard for less than the cost of a pair of binoculars. Bill is a former Board Member and Chair of CAS and has had a long career of working in Natural Resources and Education.

Invasive Plant Bingo and Birding at Garth Nature Area

Birders, land managers, and nature enthusiasts: Join us for a bird and plant walk at Garth Nature Area! This can be a good place to watch winter birds, and it also has quite a diversity of non-native and invasive plants. If you manage a yard or a bigger piece of land, whether as an owner or volunteer, getting to know the characteristics of these plants can be useful. Many of these hold onto their leaves longer than native plants, so November is often a good time of year to study them. Species we’re likely to encounter include not just bush honeysuckle, but also Japanese honeysuckle, border privet, wintercreeper, winged euonymus, autumn olive, cutleaf teasel, callery pear, and more. We won’t actually make bingo cards…or maybe we will! Either way, it should be fun and informative. 

If the weather forecast suggests unpleasant conditions, we may postpone to the following Sunday, same time (2:30 p.m.) and place. Please check the field trip listing on the CAS website before heading for the park. 

To reach Garth Nature Area , go to 2799 N Garth, and turn west into the parking area. Bathroom available.

Round-trip distance of approximately 1.5 to 2 miles on level gravel trails. Led by Joanna and Eric Reuter. 

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 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. It is a moderate walk. 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. Led by Lottie Bushmann.

Second Saturday Birding (leader needed)

Introducing Second Saturday walks: A series of field trips with a variety of destinations and led by a variety of people. We are currently recruiting leaders! Leaders do not have to be bird experts. It is more important to be familiar with the walk’s location, and that is chosen by the leader.

Are you at all interested in leading? Take a look at the guidance for field trip leaders, and send an email to field trip coordinators Eric & Joanna Reuter (cherthollow@gmail.com). We are happy to share a list of possible destinations with those who might be interested in leading.

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: https://www.columbia-audubon.org/whmoss

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 bathrooms or potable water are available at Wild Haven.

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

Great Backyard Bird Count Feeder Crawl

As part of the 2024 Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC), CAS will lead its Feeder Crawl on Saturday, February 17th. Starting at Songbird Station at 9 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 checklist to eBird. The trip will last about 3 hours and return to Songbird Station for coffee and donuts.

The  GBBC is an annual four-day citizen science event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are. The 2023 event runs from Friday, February 17th through Monday, February 20th.

For more information contact Eric Wood at ewood802@yahoo.com or 573-673-0215

Heron Rookery Count at Gans Creek Recreation Area

Field Trip Leader: Louise Flenner

Every year for the past 10 years I have counted the number of herons at the rookery on March 15. There are always some returning birds on that date. When I started counting herons there were two rookeries. Gradually fewer and fewer birds returned to the rookery that was on higher ground.  In 2023 only 2 nests remain there and neither one was occupied by herons. A red-tailed hawk took over one of the nests. There are, however, 11 nests downstream in a delightfully active rookery along Gans Creek.

On this field trip I would like to get a count of returning herons. We will also bird the tree line between GCRA and Gans Creek Wilderness Area.  There is some good birding in the woods that separates the two rookeries. There are 6 ponds and Gans Creek that may attract some migrating birds.

Access to the active rookery is via an overgrown path that descends a steep hillside.

Meet in the Gans Creek Recreation Area parking lot at 8:00 a.m. The park is on E Gans Creek Road, about 1 mile west of the US 63 Discovery Parkway exit. Click for a map.