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.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 5:30pm
May 21 CAS Picnic: 5:30PM
Come join us for socializing, favorite bird stories, a shared meal, and opportunities to hike/bird Bonnie View.
END of CAS CALENDAR YEAR – MAY POTLUCK PICNIC will be held afternoon/evening of Wednesday May 21, 2025 at the Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary Shelter off of W. Rollins.
CAS will provide Table Settings and Ice.
*NOTE! * Please Bring your own Beverages (though Parks and Rec don’t allow alcohol) and, as usual, a Dish to Share.
The Bonnie View Shelter is rented for entire day so anyone wanting to come early to casually hike the area is welcome. Be aware of ticks if hiking through the woodlands. Use Bug Spray and Vigilance.
Supper is planned around 5:30 so working folks have time to arrive.
Another hike is possible around 6:30.
Looking forward to seeing you all there!
Speaker/Program is pending verification, and will be inserted later as needed.
Contact: Judy Lincoln
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
Friday, June 6, 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
Monday, June 16, 2025 | 6:00 p.m.
Field Trip: Birding at Gustin Golf Course (Registration required)
Take part in a special opportunity to bird MU’s Gustin Golf Course, where native plantings and landscape management make for great birding habitat. As noted on the course’s website,
Gustin Golf Course was the first college golf course in the United States certified by Audubon International. Gustin Golf Course was recognized as a Cooperative Sanctuary in 1997 and has maintained that status ever since. The golf course has been recognized for its excellence in wildlife habitat management, water conservation, and environmentally friendly turf management practices.
The tour will be by foot and golf cart. We’ll learn about native plantings including pollinator plots, and we’ll listen and watch for birds that are using the habitat.
Limit of 25, advance registration required.
To reach the course’s parking area (map) turn south off of Stadium Blvd at the stoplight for Carrie Francke Drive, then follow the sign for the right-hand turn into the parking lot area. The A.L. Gustin Clubhouse is on the south side of the parking lot.
Feel free to review the CAS field trip guidelines for participants and leaders!
Contact: Lottie Bushmann, lottie.bushmann@gmail.com
Friday, July 4, 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
Friday, August 1, 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