Buck Testifies in Jef City for Butterflies

Ya da, ya da, ya da!

Snowy Owls Invade Missouri

 Charley Burwick and Janice Greene were quoted recently in a national news story about the Audubon Christmas Bird Count and this season’s snowy owl invasion. The story ran in several newspapers across the country. Here’s a link: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/01/04/134820/audubon-watchers-find-snowy-owls.html. And here’s Charley’s photo of an owl at Smithville Lake north of Kansas City.

Ten Master Naturalists participated in the Taney County bird count and others in the Greene County count, both in December. Numbers of birds and numbers of species were both down, probably the consequence of weather and drought.

The bird counts are an excellent opportunity to view and learn about birds from local experts and to pick up some service hours at the same time. Talk to Charley about participating next December.

Good Fires on the Prairie

Read the Springfield News-Leader’s article on the importance of fire for a healthy prairie. You’ll find our own Linda Ellis present at a recent prescribed burn on Woods Prairie in Lawrence County, identifying rattlesnake master, black-eyed susan, spurge and more plants. Our own super blog also has a synopsis.