Trail Map
Each yellow sign represents a tour stop in PocketSigns. The first tour stop with important information for all visitors is just ahead near the kiosk. The tour is 1 mile; the app calculated 0.7 miles by walking in a straight line between points of interest, which is some cases is virually impossible.You are welcome to attend Columbia Audubon field trips and meetings -- we generally have a few field trips each month. Meetings consist of a few brief statements about upcoming events and then a nature presentation, frequently by faculty & staff from UMC, the Dept. of Conservation or State Parks.https://www.columbia-audubon.org/events/
No Dogs Allowed
We love dogs! But we don't want them on our trails - even on a leash.Wildlife views dogs - even friendly, leashed dogs - as predators and will leave the immediate area. Studies have shown that the impact of dogs on trails extends 100 meters from the trail to each side. Wildlife in this wide swath either leave the area or change from their natural behaviors such as searching for food to hiding from dogs. Someone may be enjoying a deer, bird or other wildlife sighting. Your dog may frighten it away, ruining the other person's day. When your dog is running loose, YOU know it is friendly, but when it runs around a bend in the trail, other visitors are not familiar with your dog.Please be considerate of others.photo credit: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved.source: Benjamin E. Lenth, Richard L. Knight and Mark E. Brennan. The Effects of Dogs on Wildlife Communities. Natural Areas Journal. October 2008. 28:218-227. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232663987_The_Effects_of_Dogs_on_Wildlife_Communities
Paw Paw Trees
Pawpaw trees are native understory trees that bloom in March and April. The flowers are pollinated by blowflies and carrion beetles and produce fruit that is eaten by wildlife, including raccoons and squirrels. Pawpaws are the only host plant used by Zebra Swallowtails. This butterfly is puddling. Watch for more information on puddling farther ahead.photo credits: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Sapsucker Holes
Search in this area (on the right side of the trail if walking counter-clockwise) for the tree lying on the ground in photo #1. Follow the purple arrow to the standing tree and examine the trunk approximately 10-20' up to view scars from sapsuckers in the tree.Yellow-bellied Sapsucker holes are usually found in rings around the trunk. While some people are afraid these woodpeckers will harm or kill their tree, this virtually never happens. Trees are normally successful at growing over this damage, although the remnants of the holes are visible in the bark. Birds and insects have a vested interest in not killing off their food source!Between October and April, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers migrate south to spend the winter in Missouri increasing our woodpecker population from 6 to 7 species.During those months, there are 7 species of woodpeckers found in the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary. Six species are present during the rest of the year.Question Marks (named for the "?" on the hind wing) overwinter as adults and are often seen even on warm winter days when they may be found feeding on sap dripping from holes drilled by Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.photo credits: sapsucker: Dominic Sherony, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Tree and Question Mark: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Source: Wisconsin DNR Forestry News, https://forestrynews.blogs.govdelivery.com/2017/06/28/sapsucker-damage/
Bridge
Bridge over Scott's Branch. There are two trail loops on the other side of the bridge for a combined half-mile walk with 5 tour stops. Those loops will return you to this bridge where you will then continue this tour to the parking lot.Or you can turn left instead of crossing the bridge. This choice will let you finish the guided tour while skipping the 0.5 mile central portion.photo credit: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Prairie Restoration
During the winter of 2021-22 this six acre area was seeded with numerous prairie plants. Photo #2 shows a Cloudless Sulphur caterpillar on Partridge Pea.Despite their bright yellow color, Cloudless Sulphurs can be amazingly cryptic when perched hanging on the underside of leaves, reducing their chances of being discovered by predators.photo credit: landscape, caterpillar, adult butterfly: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved
Bicentennial Tree
This White Oak is a Bicentennial Tree -- it was growing here when the City of Columbia was founded in 1821.According to the Missouri Dept. of Conservation, there are 22 oak tree species in Missouri - some of them are not native to the state. Eight species are in the White Oak group which can be recognized by the lack of acorns retained on the tree during the winter. Acorns on Red and Black Oaks remain on the tree for one winter because they take 2 years to mature.According to Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy, oak trees are the host plant for over 500 species of butterflies and moths in North America.Caterpillars are a great food source for both migrating and nesting birds. Most songbirds, even those that eat seeds, feed insects to nestlings.Northern Parulas can be found in Missouri from April to September. During the fall and winter they are found in Central America, the Caribbean and the northern edge of South America. They focus on hunting caterpillars although they eat many types of insects.photo credits: tree, caterpillar: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Northern Parula: Shenandoah National Park from Virginia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commonssources: Edie Parnum, Valley Forge Audubon Society. https://backyardsfornature.org/?tag=insects-and-oaksAll About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Parula/lifehistory#
Plasterer Bees
Plasterer Bees are important pollinators. A close search of the ground here and in a few additional locations along the trails will reveal burrow openings. There is another group of these bees on this small loop along the creek.In the spring, adult Plasterer Bees emerge from below ground. The females dig new tunnels and coat the walls with fluid from salivary glands. Each cell is provisioned with pollen and nectar and a single egg is placed inside. Spring is the only season with activity around the nesting areas in sandy or loose soil with thin vegetation.Note: They are extremely reluctant to sting! It is NOT dangerous to walk through their nesting area. Bees that do not live together in a single hive do not have alarm pheromones or instinctive attack behavior. Grabbing one or stepping on one without shoes may result in a sting, but it is otherwise unlikely. However, if you have a severe allergy to bees you should make your own decision.photo credit: burrow, bee: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved.sources: North Carolina State Extension Office. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/colletid-bees-plasterer-bees-cellophane-bees-and-polyester-bees
Tiger Beetles and Sparrows
Six-spotted Tiger Beetles can be spotted from spring into early summer. They live in forests and adjacent fields and are often found on trails where they can run and fly short distances without being blocked by tall vegetation. They have been spotted in this location, but continue to watch for them along the wooded trails.Don't confuse these green beetles with non-native Japanese Beetles or Emerald Ash Borers. Tiger Beetles can easily be separated from these by their behavior. In fact, they are so fast that their eyes can't keep up with their speed! This is why they run a short distance and then stop.This area often hosts flocks of White-throated Sparrows from fall into spring before they return to northern nesting areas.photo credits: tiger beetle: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved. sparrow: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.sources: University of Minnesota Department of Entomology https://entomology.umn.edu/six-spotted-tiger-beetleCornell University, Cornell Chronicles; https://news.cornell.edu/stories/1998/01/tiger-beetles-go-blind-chasing-prey-high-speeds
Tree Bark Crevices and Birds
Some tree species have bark with deep crevices which create hiding places for insects. White-breasted Nuthatches, year-round residents in Missouri, search for insects by going head-first down tree trunks. Brown Creepers avoid competition for the same insects as White-breasted Nuthatches by going up tree trunks. By using different directions, the 2 species are more likely to find insects in different hiding places. Brown Creepers are in Missouri from late September through April.photo credit: landscape: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved.photo credit: nuthatch and brown creeper: Steve Ryan, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Snags are Valuable for Wildlife
Snags are standing dead or dying trees and are used by many species of wildlife. Almost 100 species of North American birds nest in cavities. The snag in photo #1 is high above Scott's Branch near the trail.Woodpeckers are primary cavity nesters; in other words, they excavate cavities in dead trees or in dead branches in live trees.Chickadees are secondary cavity nesters which re-use cavities excavated by primary cavity nesters in previous years.photo credit: snag: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved. woodpecker: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. chickadee: Jocelyn Anderson, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.source: Texas Master Naturalist Alamo Area Chapter; https://txmn.org/alamo/area-resources/natural-areas-and-linear-creekways-guide/importance-of-snags/
Grape Vines
Find the scene in photo #1 just ahead on your right.Birds and mammals feed on grapes; insects feed on grape leaves. Bark from the woody vine is shredded and used in bird nests.Adult Grapevine Epimenis moths can only be found for a few weeks in spring. Many people believe moths are brown and butterflies are colorful, however, there are many colorful moths that fly during the day along with brown butterflies.photo credit: vines, moth: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved.source: Missouri Department of Conservation Online Field Guide; https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/wild-grapes
Bluebird Nest Box
There are several bluebird nest boxes along the trails.If you have been alert on your walk, you probably saw or at least heard one or more Eastern Bluebirds today. Bluebirds enjoy eating fruit, including wild grapes and poison ivy berries (which obviously are not eaten by people).photo credit: nest box: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved. bluebird: MDC staff.source:Missouri Dept. of Conservation Online Field Guide, Eastern Bluebird. https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide
Poison Ivy and Bee Hive
Photo #1 was taken near this location and shows poison ivy in early spring before leafing out. Berries will appear in the summer. Poison ivy is an important source for wildlife; only people and a few other primates are affected by urushiol. Deer feed on the leaves; wild turkeys and bobwhite feed on the berries, especially in the winter when other berries have already been eaten.From this spot on the trail you should be able to find a honey bee hive in the prairie. Sometime in the spring of 2023, a new information panel on pollinators will be installed near the parking lot. This and the grassland restoration panel will let you learn even more about the wildlife along these trails.photo credits: poison ivy and bee hive: Donna Brunet. Used by permission. All rights reserved.source: Rachel Mathes, Leon County Extension (Florida). Tallahassee Democrat, October 24, 2019. "Poison ivy is the wildlife salad bar of the woods." https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/home-garden/2019/10/24/poison-ivy-wildlife-salad-bar-woods/4076245002/
End of Tour
I hope you have enjoyed your visit to CANS. If you have any comments or suggestions about the tour please email me at tours@donnabrunet.com.Learn more about Columbia Audubon, including a list of upcoming events you can participate in, at https://www.columbia-audubon.org/. An eBird list of bird species at Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary / Bonnie View Park can be found at https://ebird.org/barchart?r=L2154621&yr=all&m=
