Greater Ozarks Audubon Society
The GOAS monitors the Purple Martin House on the northwest side of Lake Drummond in Close Memorial Park that was donated by Bob Childress (also a FOG member.)
GOAS kept records of the birds of Close Park for 5 years and counted 122 species. An educational sign, The Birds of Close Park, was then erected. Field trips are held at the park, and the birds of the park are counted as part of the annual Christmas Bird Count. GOAS participated in the week of opening activities at the Botanical Center.
Our mission is to promote bird conservation in southwest Missouri through birdwatching, education, habitat preservation and restoration, and public awareness, for the benefit of humanity and wildlife.
Our chapter serves Cedar, Christian, Dallas, Douglas, Greene, Hickory, Polk, St. Clair, Stone, Taney, Webster, and Wright Counties in Missouri. If you live in one of these counties and are a member of National Audubon, you are automatically a member of GOAS. Benefits of chapter membership include the beautiful AUDUBON magazine, and Greater Ozarks Audubon's publications the GOAS Scissortail and the Scissortail Flyer. To join Greater Ozarks Audubon fill out the membership application available at the link below.
Greater Ozarks Audubon Society Membership Application (54.15 kB)
First, thanks to Friends of the Garden member Stan Horsch, the 14 bluebird houses were repaired and are up around Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park just in time for the bluebirds return. The good news was reported to me by Stan just prior to Myra Scroggs president of the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society and Charles Burwick, member, who arrived at the Botanical Center to begin another season of monitoring the purple martin house. This means to "keep out sparrows, etc. and record martins that nest according to the Purple Martin Society guidelines."
The "house" located near northwest corner of Lake Drummond was featured in the Summer 2010 Friends of the Garden Newsletter when the donor Bob Childress and Charles erected and opened the house expecting new residents to move in (they didn't).
This year we have been visiting with Myra about also monitoring the bluebird houses in the park. Audubon members Myra and Dot Powell agreed to do this for Friends of the Garden and the new Botanical Center. Monitoring means they would, "clean out old nests, get rid of ants and wasps or house sparrows etc. and keep the nests suitable for bluebirds and other songbirds that are cavity nesters."
Having Audubon involved monitoring the bluebird houses and the purple martin house means we will be able to offer a greater variety of educational information to the community plus another experience to enjoy while visiting the gardens in the park. A huge thank you to the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society.
The Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center
2400 S. Scenic Ave
Springfield, MO 65807
417.891.1515
Botanical Center & Gardens Brochure (782.17 kB) Park Bench Winter 2011-2012 (3.32 MB)The Friends of the Garden mission is to "inspire the discovery, understanding and appreciation of nature by creating and maintaining gardens at Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park and by supporting the mission of the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center and Park Board."
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