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Welcome to The Flicker,
MRBO's e-newsletter
January 2026 | Volume 7, Issue 1
| | Conservation through Science, Education, and Advocacy | | MRBO is heading to Costa Rica and YOU can join us! Help support MRBO with this special fundraiser on the trip of a lifetime! | | Join MRBO in Costa Rica for a week of wildlife and wilderness! Experience one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth! With 12 climatic zones and numerous micro-ecosystems within its borders, Costa Rica is a haven for neotropical flora and fauna. From lush rainforest to cloud forest and coastal floodplains, witness the amplitude of animals that inhabit each. Embark on a journey of discovery and rich knowledge by visiting one of the world’s leading institutions in tropical education and research. Learn about conservation efforts to protect endangered and threatened species and discuss sea turtle research in Tortuguero National Park. | | Bird-friendly Tip of the Month | | |
Kestrel Nestbox Program
Saturday, January 10th from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center: 1401 NW Park Rd, Blue Springs, MO 64015
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Kestrels are the only falcon on this continent to nest in cavities. They are found on farmland, suburban and urban areas. Because of a variety of ecological changes in their environment, these beautiful falcons have declined in some areas. Join naturalists from Burr Oak Woods and Missouri River Bird Observatory in person to learn about nesting boxes, the importance of monitoring kestrels and how nesting boxes allow us to do that. Registration required (ages 18+)
| | Bird-friendly Communities Presentation: Winter Birds
Saturday, January 17th from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
East Hills Library 502 N Woodbine Rd, St Joseph, MO 64506 | | |
Find out how you can help St. Joseph become a Bird-Friendly community! MRBO's Kaylee Woelfel will share simple, practical ways to be bird-friendly in your home, neighborhood, and community. This program will touch on the 7 simple actions and how we can create safe spaces for our birds specifically during winter.
| | | In addition to the presentation, we will create window clings to make your windows more bird friendly. The presentation will be geared for adults, but all ages are welcome. Register to save your seat! | |
Missouri Young Birders Club Monthly Meeting
Monday, January 19th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Every third Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom
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🪶 Calling all young nature lovers!
If you’re between 8 and 17 and fascinated by the world of birds, join the Missouri Young Birders Club (MYBC) for a winter birding adventure!
This January, we’ll hear from one of MYBC’s own members as they share a special presentation all about winter water birds—the species that brave cold temperatures and icy waters to spend the season right here in Missouri. Learn how to spot them, where to find them, and what makes them so well adapted to winter conditions.
Become part of a growing community of young birders and explore Missouri’s wildlife with us. Visit our website for details and how to join!
| | 2026 Plastic Learning Series
Every other Monday from January 19th to March 16th on Zoom at 5 p.m. | | 2026 Winter Webinars - Naturalist Series
Every other Monday from January 19th to March 30th on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. | | "Show-Me Less Plastic" Community Workshop
Saturday, January 24th from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Runge Nature Center, 330 Commerce Drive Jefferson City, MO 65109 | | |
Plastic People Film Screening
Tuesday, January 27th at 5 p.m.
Capitol City Cinema: 126 E. High Street, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
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Stream Teams United 2026 Missouri Legislative Watchlist | MRBO’s closest partner, Stream Teams United, maintains a critical, up-to-date Legislative Watchlist that highlights Missouri bills impacting state water resources, aquatic life, and other natural resources. The list includes legislation with the potential for both positive and negative effects, providing the Missouri Stream Team community and interested citizens with a tool to stay informed and engaged. We encourage MRBO readers to peruse the Legislative Watchlist and sign up for Stream Teams email updates! | | | | |
Dana and Tessa of MRBO, along with partners Mary and Emily of Stream Teams United, spent a fruitful day at the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) Advocates’ Retreat. This annual gathering celebrates connection, collaboration, and the collective power of advocates across the state. We learned about what to expect in the 2026 Missouri legislative session, and heard from decision-makers about how best to advocate for our important policy ideas. MFH is the funder of the Show-Me Less Plastic project, a deep collaboration between MRBO and Stream Teams United.
| | Your Climate Action Venn Diagram | | |
January's Bird of the Month: Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)
Wilson’s Snipe is a medium-sized, stout shorebird whose cryptic coloring allows it to blend easily into wet landscapes. Its long, straight bill and short tail give it a distinctive silhouette. The bird’s buff and brown patterning provides excellent camouflage, with three long buffy stripes running down its dark back, one down the center and one along each edge. The chest is buff colored with brown streaks and spots, while heavy black barring lines the sides. In flight, the wings appear dark both above and below.
Although considered a shorebird, Wilson’s Snipes are not often found on open mudflats like many sandpipers. Instead, they favor moist, grassy areas such as shallow marshes, swamps, wet meadows, and drainage ditches near ponds, sewer lagoons, or agricultural fields. They are closely tied to wet, marshy habitats with soft soils and tend to avoid tall, dense vegetation, while still relying on patches of cover for concealment.
Wilson’s Snipes are medium- to long-distance migrants. They breed across northern North America and travel south for the winter, ranging from the southern United States through Central America and into Venezuela. Some individuals in the Pacific Northwest remain year-round where conditions allow.
Feeding behavior is one of the species’ most remarkable traits. Wilson’s Snipes probe deep into soft, wet soil using their long bills to locate insect larvae, worms, and other invertebrates. The tip of the bill is flexible and can open independently, allowing the bird to grasp prey while the base of the bill stays closed. This adaptation also allows snipes to extract small prey from the mud without removing their bill from the soil.
Breeding occurs on the ground, often near or surrounded by water. The female creates several shallow scrapes before selecting a nest site and lays two to four eggs per clutch. She alone incubates the eggs and cares for the young at the nest. Once the chicks are ready to leave, the parents divide the brood. The male takes the two oldest chicks, while the female cares for the younger two. After this point, the pair does not reunite.
Overall, Wilson’s Snipe populations are widespread and stable. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of around two million individuals and considers the species to be of low conservation concern. Proper management of wetlands and marshes has benefited Wilson’s Snipes, particularly as a managed game bird. However, the draining or conversion of wetland habitats poses ongoing risks, along with collisions involving buildings, vehicles, and tall structures.
| | | January's Wild Edible - Eastern Red Cedar | | | | |
Now that the longest nights of the year are behind us, we can begin to notice the slow return of light—and even allow ourselves to dream a little about spring. Winter, however, is far from over, and there is still plenty of time to lean into the traditions and comforts of the season.
Evergreens are a timeless symbol of winter well beyond the holidays. While many of us bring them indoors as decorated trees, fresh-cut greens also brighten porches, doorways, and outdoor spaces with much-needed color during an otherwise muted time of year. Fir and pine boughs provide wonderful structure to winter arrangements, but for texture and character, it’s hard to beat cedar.
Here in Missouri, we are surrounded by a familiar native: Eastern Red Cedar. In the winter landscape—when many neighboring trees are bare and dormant—red cedar stands out with its subtly reddish bark
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and dense, scale-like foliage. Male trees produce small yellow cones, while female trees bear dusty blue to purplish “berries,” which are actually pollinated cones.
These cedar berries aren’t just visually striking—they also have a place in the kitchen. When used sparingly, either fresh or dried, they can add a mild, woodsy flavor to dishes. Eastern red cedar berries are closely related to juniper berries, though they’re often described as softer and less bitter. They can be substituted in recipes that call for juniper and pair especially well with lean meats and game.
As with many wild foods, moderation is key. While reports of illness are rare, cedar berries should be used in small quantities and are not recommended for consumption by pregnant individuals.
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Simple Recipe: Cedar-Berry Roasted Root Vegetables
A cozy, wintery way to try Eastern red cedar berries.
Ingredients
- 1 lb mixed root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, potatoes, or sweet potatoes)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4–6 Eastern Red Cedar berries, lightly crushed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: fresh rosemary or thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Chop vegetables into evenly sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Toss with olive oil, crushed cedar berries, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Spread evenly on a baking sheet and roast for 30–40 minutes, stirring once, until tender and lightly browned.
- Finish with fresh herbs if desired and serve warm.
This simple dish highlights the subtle, aromatic quality of cedar without overpowering the vegetables—an easy way to bring a bit of Missouri’s winter landscape to the table.
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406 Main Street
Arrow Rock, MO 65320
660-837-3888
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