by Eric Reuter

The statewide Audubon Society of Missouri will be hosting its annual fall meeting in Columbia this year, a rare change from its usual location at Lake of the Ozarks. This is a great chance for Columbia-area birders to take part in this major event so close to home. The meeting features field trips, speakers, a banquet, and many opportunities to meet and interact with bird enthusiasts from around the state while learning more about birding. Learn more and register at the ASM website; basic details are listed below:

Dates: September 28–30 (Friday through Sunday), 2018

Base location: Stoney Creek Hotel & Conference Center, Columbia, MO. Events include:

• Graduate student presentations
• Showing of Dr. Carl Gerhardt’s documentary, “Eagle Bluffs: An Environmental Success Story”
• Banquet featuring keynote speaker Al Batt of Hartland, Minnesota, a birding-oriented writer, speaker, storyteller, and humorist.

Field trip destinations:

• The Pinnacles
• Eagle Bluffs
• Little Dixie Lake/Whetstone Creek Conservation Area
• Rockbridge State Park
• Prairie Garden Trust
• 3M Wetlands/Forum Nature Area
• Ashland Wildlife Area
• Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary
• Bradford Farms