Newsletter of the Columbia Audubon Society | October 2025 | Volume 68, Number 2
In this issue:
by Lottie Bushmann
Hello all. I hope this finds you well. I’d like to say “and enjoying the fall weather” but it appears we’ll have to wait a bit longer for that. No matter, we are in full swing with our fall activities. We had a great showing at our fall picnic. Twelve birders were guided through the woods by John Besser at Wild Haven where we found some nice mixed-species flocks. We even had a few migrating warblers! During the picnic we were honored by Carol Davit from the Missouri Invasive Plant Society for all our hard (and continuing) work removing invasives from our properties. She praised our commitment and was doubly impressed for what we’ve accomplished since we’re an all- volunteer organization. And she’s right! If you’ve helped with any of our properties on a workday, pat yourself on the back. CAS couldn’t do it without our great volunteers.
Be sure to read Bill Mees’ information in this Chat about the ongoing work we’re engaged in to protect the Gans Creek Wild Area. At the picnic, we learned a bit of information about the area and why it’s worth preserving. We will be sure to give you regular updates as we learn of them.
We invite you to join a field trip, help with the 2nd grade Band with Nature program, join a team for the December Christmas Bird Count, or attend a meeting. There are plenty of ways to be involved, and we appreciate you choosing to spend some of your time with us.
by Allison Vaughn
In July, several members of CAS met with the City of Columbia, the USFWS, and the Missouri River Bird Observatory to begin the process of designating Columbia as a Bird City, USA. CAS decided that our role in this process which requires a lot of legwork would be to seek Dark Sky Certification for Rock Bridge Memorial and Finger Lakes SPs. A Missouri Master Naturalist from the Booneslick Chapter has been taking Sky Quality Measurement readings at Rock Bridge, park staff at Finger Lakes SP are taking measurements there, and they have been weighing in as very good for seeking this designation for the parks. Working with our October speaker, Vayu Gokhale, Physics and Astronomy professor for Truman State, on the Dark Sky designation process, we have decided to seek Dark Sky Park certification for RBMSP rather than Urban Dark Sky Place certification. Apparently Rock Bridge Memorial SP is a pretty dark sky place, which is encouraging!
Columbia is a shoo-in for the Bird City application with all of our tree canopy and native plants, but the Dark Sky certification takes a couple of years to complete. CAS has a small subcommittee working on this. If interested in joining the subcommittee, contact Allison at allisonjv at yahoo.com.
by Patricia Norton, Dept. of Pathobiology and Integrative Biomedical Sciences
Dear Audubon members,
We have finished testing for bacteria in the 2024 ticks. Tests for Rocky Mountain spotted fever (Rickettsia rickettsii), rabbit fever (Tularemia francisella), and Ehrlichiosis (Erhlichia species) were all negative.
Here are the results of our field testing at Audubon Sanctuary for 2025. We collected ticks once per month for 3 months. All ticks have been sent for pathogen testing.
The results for the Audubon Sanctuary tick research of 2025 (May-July) are tabulated
2025 | Lone Star tick
(Amblyomma americanum) |
American dog tick
(Dermacentor variabilis) |
|||||||
Location | Adult M | Adult F | Nymph | Larvae | Adult M | Adult F | Nymph | Larvae | |
Audubon Sanctuary | 36 | 62 | 263 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
Compared to last year, the density of adult and nymphal ticks per 100 meters2 was lower this year, 12.2 ticks per 100 meters2 (2025) versus
27.7 ticks per 100 meters2 (2024). For the number of ticks among the three sites in Boone County that we sampled, Audubon dropped from
first place, last year, to second place this year. Bacteria testing is pending.
Thank you, once again, for allowing our research to include the Audubon Sanctuary.
Sincerely,
Patricia Norton
Project Support Coordinator
Dept. of Pathobiology and Integrative Biomedical Sciences
210 Connaway Hall
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
by Bill Mees, Nature Areas Committee
David Diamond and Mike Currier of the Sierra Club and CAS spoke to Columbia Audubon Society members regarding the proposal to build mountain bike trails south of Gans Creek at the Gans Creek Recreational Area (GCRA). Mike gave a history of the area, formerly known to many of us as the Crane Tract. The area south of Gans Creek has been designated as an area recognized for being environmentally sensitive and has warranted protection. Recent plans for GCRA call for inclusion of over 4 miles of mountain bike trails in this same area.
The City Council tabled the south (blue) bike trails for further study. Mike and David’s presentations provided documentation proving the sensitivity of the area south area and opposing any mountain bike trails. They suggested the area be limited to single track hiking foot trails. These trails will limit environmental damage and also limit biker/hiker interaction, an issue of safety. More information supporting the exclusion of mountain bike trails will be shared with you in future CHAT issues.
The city Council has already approved the construction of two mountain bike trails (Green and Yellow) both north of Gans Creek. The picnic attendees via “raised hand vote” agreed CAS should oppose the establishment of mountain bike trails south of Gans Creek. The hiking foot trails will provide access and a quiet nature hiking experience in the south area.
More information will be provided in future CHAT newsletters so CAS members can help save this environmentally sensitive area.
by David Diamond
Gans Creek Recreation Area Fact Sheet
by Lottie Bushmann
Spring has finally sprung! I love seeing the daffodils and crocuses, along with all the buds on the trees. Bird activity has certainly picked up, and the migrants are continuing to drop in. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for another migratory season of confusing and exhilarating bird song. Every year it takes me a few times to remember the migrants from last spring, but every year it comes back a little quicker. Don’t be daunted—pull out your Merlin and start hunting. You’re sure to find a jewel among the branches.
I hope that you’ll plan to make CAS events a part of your spring. We have a very different April general meeting. It will be held at Ellis Library, adjacent to the Museum of Art and Archaeology, where Dr. Alicia Dissinger will talk to us about her research into bird imagery on ancient pottery. We can test our skills with a visit into the museum immediately after her talk. She will be here on campus for two talks, and you’re invited to both! Check out the details (including where to park) on our website and in this month’s Chat.
We have fabulous field trip birding opportunities available as well, and I hope you can join us for one or all of them. Nothing improves birding skills quite like hanging out with an expert that can zero you in on the important details to notice. It’s also a great way to meet like-minded folks and perhaps meet a new friend that you might enjoy birding with.
We had a fantastic March meeting, with Isaac Breuer sharing with us all the native plant work they have done at the A. L. Gustin golf course on the MU campus. Plans are in the works for an evening field trip to bird the golf course with Isaac. Watch the Chat next month for details.
You may have noticed a lot of emails from Audubon asking for volunteers to help with invasives control at Wild Haven. We have a young man working with us (using funds from a donation for this purpose) and more folks makes for greater coverage. Wild Haven is a jewel of a property and looking better by the day. Thanks to all who’ve participated, and I want to encourage you to check it out if you’re so inclined.
Happy Spring! Hope to see you on the trail!
by Allison Vaughn
Here’s a nice article several CAS members contributed to last year on the economic impact of birding:
Columbia Audubon Society is supported in part by a generous contribution from
2010 Chapel Plaza Court, Suite C • Columbia, MO 65203 • 573-446-5941
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 | 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (social), followed by swift watching, ending by ~7:10 p.m.
October 23, 2025 | 6:30PM
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | 6-7:30 PM
Friday, November 7, 2025 | 8:00 a.m.
November 19, 2025 | 7-8 PM
Black Friday, November 28, 2025 | 4:00 p.m.
Friday, December 5, 2025 | 8:00 a.m.
Date/time of your choice