At the September 25-27 2026 Fall Meeting in Columbia, Missouri Birding Society members will continue the celebration of the 125^th anniversary of the organization’s founding as the Audubon Society of Missouri. All Missouri birders are invited to attend, meet bird nerds from around the state, explore central Missouri birding venues, see and learn about birds,  and share in the fun.

Sign-in opens at 4 p.m., Friday, September 25 at Boone Electric Cooperative Community Building (BECCB), 1413 Rangeline Street, Columbia, headquarters for weekend activities. No field trips depart from this site. Each field trip has a designated meeting place and time. Early arrivals may wish to join the field trip to the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary (CANS) led by John Besser and Reed Gerdes, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the CANS parking lot at the intersection of Bray Ave. and Cunningham Rd., Columbia.

Use this link 2026 Fall Meeting Guide for a downloadable PDF comprehensive guide to meeting activities, including directions to field trip meeting places and descriptions, and much more, created by Lesa Beamer.

There is no designated host hotel. Attendees are encouraged to reserve rooms at their accommodation of choice at the earliest convenience as there is a major cross country meet on the weekend. Campsites (RV or tent) are available at Finger Lakes State Park.

All are encouraged to wear a favorite bird-themed T-shirt for Friday evening events at the BECCB. Join us for hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m. followed by two presentations: MBS Historian Bill Clark on the first 100 years of the organization in “How it all came about 125 years ago, the rebirth of the Society in 1934, and a visit with those who were our leaders through that first century,” and Kristie Nelson on “Why Birds Count: a journey through the fun and science of Christmas Bird Counts.”

Saturday’s full field trip schedule includes two full day trips with lunch at local eateries, and morning and afternoon trips in varying habitats, designated as easy, moderate or difficult, led by the area’s experienced birders eager to show others their favorite haunts and the birds that keep them coming back.

For Saturday evening at the BECCB, the program includes a catered buffet beginning at 6:00 p.m. with options for varying dietary needs, followed by the annual general meeting and Marlee Malmborg of the Missouri River Bird Observatory with a presentation on American Kestrel natural history, nesting behavior, the challenges they face in Missouri, and the nestbox monitoring project she directs.

Sunday’s offerings include two “regular” field trips and a hawk watch at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area,. The traditional picnic of catered sandwiches and sides for those who paid for it in their registration will begin at noon and conclude with the weekend species tally at the Leech Shelter in Bethel-Cosmo Park, 4500 Bethel St., Columbia. Early arrivals may wish to take a self-guided walk along the paved sidewalk around the lake.