by Jim Gast, President

April Election

We have a three-year term board position to vote on .  The only candidate is Greg Leonard, but you will be given an opportunity for a write-in candidate. Instead of voting at the April general meeting, we will be voting on-line and by regular mail.

On Monday, April 19^th, those members who receive The Chat on-line will receive a link via email that will direct them to a ballot.  The deadline to vote for these people is 11:59 PM on Friday, April 23^rd.

For those members who still get The Chat via mail, a paper ballot will be mailed to you on Saturday, April 17^th.  The ballot must be postmarked on or before Friday, April 23^rd to be counted.

Both options give you the opportunity to write-in a candidate. If you want to submit a write-in candidate, make sure that person is a member of Columbia Audubon Society and that the nominee is willing to serve.

Ethan Duke Discusses Bird Sounds and Songs for April Program

Please join us for our regular monthly membership meeting on Wednesday, April 21^st, at 7:00 pm. via Zoom. (See calendar listing for the Zoom link.) Our friends at the Missouri River Bird Observatory will present another great program for us. This month, MRBO Co-Founder/Director Ethan Duke will be talking about “Bird Songs & Sounds” and sharing tips and useful tools for learning them. Ethan has extensive experience in research and monitoring of several species, including Pileated Woodpeckers, Veeries, and Cerulean Warblers. This program will be a great “prep session” for spring migration birding.

Canton Estates Subdivsion Planned for the Souteast Corner of Bearfield and Gans Roads

Because the property is adjacent to the Gans Creek Wild Area at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park,  the board voted to speak out against this development at the City Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council meetings.

The major concern is the development is too dense (113 units on 65 +/- acres including 104 houses on approximately 40 acres) and that the increase of impervious surfaces could lead to problems with stormwater run-off. Water running off the property would pick up mud and flow into the park and potentially into Gans Creek, which is an Outstanding State Resource Water. Clear-cutting all the trees and removing all the other vegetation during the preparation work also creates stormwater problems, especially during heavy rain events.

Other issues include an increase in traffic, noise pollution and light pollution, loss of habitat and the potential for non-native and invasive plants.

 March Program

In case you missed Sarah Kendrick’s bird identification talk or want to see it again the URL is  https://youtu.be/QSs7cFnnMFo. Over 150 people particiapated in the program.  Thanks again to Lauren Williams and the Columbia Public Library for co-sponsoring this program..

On-line Ornithology Course

Professor emeritus Dan Tallman of Northern State University posted notes from his college-level ornithology class on-line at http://ornithologycourse.blogspot.com/2009/12/. The blog gives a general view of birds and birding.