The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has modified the 2020-2021 waterfowl managed hunt process to assure the safety of hunters and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MDC is committed to providing hunting opportunities on managed waterfowl hunting areas throughout the waterfowl season.
     To allow for flexibility to respond to the state of the pandemic, there will be no pre-season reservations for the 2020-2021 waterfowl season. There will also be no teal season or youth season morning drawings. Procedures for individual conservation areas will be posted on the MDC website closer to season.
     All reservations, including ADA blinds, will be allocated through the weekly in-season reservation draw. The first application period will open October 20 and results will be announced October 27. The weekly application period opens every Tuesday at 8 a.m. and closes the following Monday at 3 p.m.
     Throughout the season, hunters will be asked to follow precautionary guidelines to assure the safety of everyone at the site during the morning draw. There will be a sliding scale of procedural levels that could range from no staff-hunter contact at all to close to business as usual.
     At the start of the season, every conservation area will be assigned to a certain procedural level due to the status of COVID-19 in the county. The decisions will be made in consultation with the appropriate county health department. Throughout the season, an area could move to a more restrictive procedural level depending on the county health department or other COVID-19 related factors.
     Some details of the procedural levels are as follows:
Red Level (very high COVID-19 risk)
No staff-hunter contact.
No facility use.
100% allocation for Missouri residents only through in-season reservation draw.
Hunt positions will be pre-assigned.
No poor line or vacancy filling.
 
Orange Level (high COVID-19 risk)
Limited facility use and social distancing employed.
100% allocation for Missouri residents only through in-season reservation draw.
Hunt parties will be able to select hunt location.
No poor line or vacancy filling.
 
Yellow Level (moderate COVID-19 risk)
Limited facility use and social distancing employed.
100% allocation for Missouri residents only through in-season reservation draw.
Hunt parties will be able to select hunt location.
Poor line only for reservation no-shows.
 
Green Level (low COVID-19 risk)
Facility use as guidance allows and social distancing employed.
50% allocation through in-season reservation draw.
Hunt parties will be able to select hunt location.
Poor line for no-shows and 50% of hunt positions.
 
     Throughout the season, procedures could change with limited time to notify hunters. In order to receive updates as quickly as possible, please subscribe to the “Waterfowl” email update list at public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MODC/subscribers/new. 
     Interested hunters can also refer to the MDC website as information is available, at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/waterfowl/waterfowl-managed-hunts.
     While this process means a significant change from what hunters are used to, MDC has no plans to make the changes permanent. Back in May, an interdisciplinary team was created to look at the draw procedures and determine the best path forward, keeping hunters and MDC staff safe.
     This team made the best recommendation they could that balanced hunting opportunity with keeping staff and hunters safe.
     MDC has designated staff to help answer any questions hunters may have about the changes to this year’s waterfowl season. Please contact the following staff members at the numbers below:
Statewide-
Lauren Hildreth 573-522-4115 ext. 3259
Joel Porath 573-522-4115 ext. 3188
 
North Zone-
Chris Freeman 660-646-6122
Craig Crisler 660-446-3371
Mike Flaspohler 573-248-2530
 
Middle Zone-
Luke Wehmhoff 573-624-5821 ext. 4662
Gary Calvert 636-441-4554 ext. 4180
 
South Zone-
Lauren Hildreth 573-522-4115 ext. 3259
 

     Fishing is fun, and the first steps to catching a fish are getting basic tackle ready to use and knowing where and how to present lures and bait in the water.
     The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer a virtual fishing clinic at 10:00am on Saturday, July 18th. Instructors from MDC’s Kansas City and Northwest regions will cover topics such tackle, casting, fish identification, regulations, and ethics.
     This clinic is an excellent opportunity for people to learn the basic fishing skills and gear needed to get started and catch fish. Experienced anglers also may find a tip or two that helps them catch more fish or a new species. Western Missouri has a variety of waters to fish in, from farm ponds and small streams to large rivers and lakes.
     Besides instruction, this virtual session will offer question and answer interaction for participants. This clinic will help anglers learn skills from the comfort of home that they can take outdoors and go fishing.
     MDC is offering some in-person outdoor programs in the coming weeks with safety protocols as a precaution against the COVID-19 virus. But staff will also offer virtual programs as an easy way for people to connect with the outdoors and learn lifetime skills.
     Participants are asked to pre-register for the virtual clinic by July 16th by visiting https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z8p. They must register with a valid email address. A link will be sent via email for them to join the clinic online on July 18th.
     Missouri offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities for anglers whether fishing from shore or a watercraft. To learn more about fishing, visit https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing.
 

​     Baseball fans rejoiced June 23rd following Major League Baseball’s announcement of a deal reached to begin the season July 23rd or 24th. Players are expected to report July 1st for training.
     “Major League Baseball is thrilled to announce that the 2020 season is on the horizon. We have provided the Players Association with a schedule to play 60 games and are excited to provide our great fans with Baseball again soon,” Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said in a statement released June 23rd.
     The proposed schedule will largely feature divisional play, with the remaining portion of each Club’s games against their opposite league’s corresponding geographical division (i.e., East vs. East, Central vs. Central and West vs. West), in order to mitigate travel. The vast majority of Major League Clubs are expected to conduct training at the ballparks in their primary home cities.
     At home in Grain Valley, an opportunity to train the next generation of players will be offered through an Instructional T-Ball program hosted by Grain Valley Parks & Recreation.
     The program begins Saturday, July 11th and runs for 6 weeks. The program is open to boys and girls 3 to 5 years of age, and focuses on skill development and fun. Participants will rotate through stations that focus on major skills of the game. Non-competitive games will be played the last three sessions of the program. A $45 fee covers the 6 week session and includes a t-shirt and medal for each player.
     To register for the Instructional T-Ball program, call 816-847-6230 ext. 9, stop by the Community Center, 713 S. Main, or register online at grainvalley.recdesk.com.
    
 

     A bit of normalcy has resumed at City Hall, the Community Center, and city parks with the reopening of some facilities and programs. The Grain Valley Aquatic Center opened Saturday, June 13th, and City Hall reopened June 15th. The Community Center resumed normal hours of operation on June 8th.
     “We still have some programs/classes that we just are not able to offer due to social distancing restrictions but the Fitness Center and Gymnasium are open again and we are taking room rentals,” Parks and Recreation Director Shannon Davies said.
     “The first weekend of the pool went really well. We never reached capacity, but we had a nice steady flow of patrons both Saturday and Sunday and are really appreciative of everyone's patience with the COVID-19 restrictions that we had to implement.”
     While playgrounds remain closed, all other park amenities are currently open to the public with some restrictions per Phase 2 of Jackson County's Recovery Plan. Davies is hopeful playgrounds can reopen in Phase 3 of the County’s plan.
     Baseball/softball field rentals have been very popular this month, according to Davies.
     “We can allow practices on our fields in Phase 2, just no tournaments. So several of these youth teams have been practicing in preparation for tournaments scheduled in surrounding counties where tournaments are allowed.”
     One popular program not returning in the near future are the monthly senior luncheons. The July senior luncheon has been canceled, and future luncheons have been postponed until further notice.
 

     With concerns about COVID-19 continuing, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces it has extended its cancellation of programs and events at nature centers and other Department locations through June 30th.
     To help continue to connect people with nature, MDC will be offering more of its nature-focused programs through online formats.
     According to MDC, the online offerings will make it more convenient and comfortable for people to attend the programs virtually from wherever they are in the state -- and beyond.
     MDC typically provides hundreds of public programs each year at its various nature centers and other locations around the state. Due to the threats of COVID-19, MDC cancelled its public programs and events in March and has extended the cancellations through June.
     Find MDC offerings of online programs at mdc.mo.gov/events-s3.
Programs will be added as they become available. Participants in MDC online programs will be required to register online and will be emailed a program survey and other information after the event. Programs will typically be 30 minutes or less and participants will be able to ask questions online.
 

     Residents hoping to kick off the summer season this Memorial Day weekend with a dip in the pool will have to wait a few weeks longer. Grain Valley Parks and Recreation announced the opening of the pool will be delayed until June, contingent on the restrictions provided in Phase 2 of Jackson County’s Recovery Plan for outdoor aquatic facilities. Aquatic programs, including swim lessons, are contingent upon Phase 2 restrictions.
     The Fitness Center inside the Grain Valley Community Center reopened on Monday, May 18th. The gymnasium and all other common meeting space have remained closed, with just the Fitness Center open to the public. 
     “We are thrilled to once again see members of our community coming in to exercise.  Even though we are not ‘completely’ open yet, the Fitness Center is a step in the right direction to once again provide opportunities for health and wellness to our residents,” Shannon Davies, Grain Valley Parks and Recreation Director said.
     The Center will be open 8:00am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday through at least May 25th, and will not be open on Memorial Day.
     “We hope to reopen the building in its entirety soon and resume our normal hours of operation, 7 days a week.  This will be contingent on Phase 2 of Jackson County’s Recovery Plan, which we have been told will be issued between now and May 25th,” Davies said. 
     The Center is open to current members and those wanting to purchase a membership or day pass.
     Davies explained the Community Center has implemented several safety measures in response to COVID-19, including:
 
Limiting the # of patrons in the Fitness Center at one time.  Patrons are encouraged to call the Community Center (816-847-6203) before arriving to see if there will be a wait.
 
Certain pieces of cardio equipment and weight machines are “out-of-service” to ensure that the 6-feet of distance between individuals is adhered to.
Patrons must sign-in when they arrive, and sign-out when they leave.  This includes name and contact information.  This allows for tracing by the Jackson County Health Department should the need arise.
 
Patrons are not allowed to use the Fitness Center if they are showing any signs of illness.
 
Patrons are required to wash their hands before entering the Fitness Center and required to wash their hands before leaving the facility.
 
Patrons are required to wipe down any fitness equipment immediately after they are done using it with anti-bacterial/alcohol wipes provided at the center.
 
Center staff is required to wear facemasks when interacting with patrons who come to exercise.  Staff are to not come to work if they are exhibiting any signs of illness.
Facemasks for patrons are recommended when visiting, but it is not required.
 
Center staff sanitizes commonly used areas each day before opening and more frequently depending on volume.
 

     With many traditional entertainment options closed due to stay-at-home orders related to COVID-19, families have taken advantage of the limited outdoor recreation spaces open during this time. Their options will expand in the coming weeks as Grain Valley Parks and Recreation pushes forward with plans for the summer, including the opening of the Grain Valley Aquatic Center in late May.
     The Grain Valley Aquatic Center will open for the season on Saturday, May 23rd. Pool season passes can be purchased once the Grain Valley Community Center resumes normal operational hours. Registration for group and private swimming lessons as well as water aerobics is now open on the City’s website. Residents may also register for Parks and Recreation programming by calling the Community Center, 816-847-6230 ext. 9 from 8:00am – 5:00pm Monday – Friday.
     Shannon Davies, Parks and Recreation Director, is not yet certain what changes in terms of capacity will need to be implemented at the pool. “We will know more once Jackson County provides their recovery plan,” Davies said.
     Residents should expect some changes when utilizing parks facilities and participating in programming.
      “As our parks and recreation facilities start to open back up to the public, initially there will be changes with regard to limiting the number of registrants, maintaining social distancing, and the PPE’s utilized by staff.  We should be getting guidance from Jackson County this week on what this will look like.  Some facilities will open sooner than others but the ‘gathering’ restrictions the County provides will dictate what programs we can still offer and what programs we will have to cancel or postpone.  Of those programs that we can still provide, we will have to limit the registration count to maximize social distancing,” Davies said.
     The Parks and Recreation Department will offer a Youth Tennis program and Pre-K Instructional T-Ball program this summer, as well as popular programs such as Popsicles in the Park and Movies in the Park.
     The first Movie in the Park program will be held Friday, June 5th at the Armstrong Park Pavilion. The June 5th event will feature the movie Abominable and will begin at dusk (approximately 8:30pm).
     The past few weeks have proved to be an interesting challenge for Parks and Recreation staff, and helping families stay active while most parks facilities are closed has required creativity.
     “We have tried to do more things through social media.  For example, our “Boredom Busters” activity through Twitter.  Each day, we post an activity that kids can do at home inside or out in their yards and ask that they post pictures of them in action or of their completed activity.  With playgrounds, park shelters, and other park amenities being closed to the public, we have seen a huge increase in trail usage,” Davies said.
     “With the warmer weather and people tired of being cooped-up at home, our trails have been a true asset for people to spend time outdoors and exercise.  We have seen a marked increase in trail use at Armstrong Park and Butterfly Trail Park.  Our new Blue Branch Creek Trail has been very popular over the past several months.  We are also seeing people use our open greenspace areas to play on and picnic, which is really great to see.”
 

     Songbirds are free to roam, and their travels take them beyond wild places to the trees, shrubs, and grasses they find in cities or near rural homes. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages people to get outside this summer and look for birds in their yards or neighborhood.
     Nuthatches and wrens will be looking in oaks and maples for insects to eat, or to carry back to a nest of young. Blue jays and bluebirds may be among the feathered visitors looking for food or nest sites. Robins enjoy pecking bugs out of a fresh-mowed lawn. People can simply enjoy listening to bird songs coming from the trees, or, they can use them as an educational tool, particularly for curious children.
     Children learn by observation and thinking. Birds offer lessons in colors, numbers, geography, and biology. The lessons can be simple or complex, but a stimulation of wonder and curiosity is found in either approach. In times when people are sticking close to home, and children are getting restless in summer, birds await by simply stepping outside and listening or looking.
 
Simple birding tips:
     Start a birding journal. Use a school notebook, scratch pad, or stationary. Keep it handy. Children will note an adult’s enthusiasm for the bird journal and follow their lead. Include all ages in spotting and watching birds.
     Once or twice a day go on bird-seeking expedition in the back yard, the front yard, or perhaps a walk on the sidewalk. Take the journal. Teach the young to watch for birds, or to listen for their songs.
     Ask questions, of yourself or those with you. How many different bird sounds can you hear? Where are they coming from? Can you see the bird or is it hidden by leaves? Is there a pair of binoculars of some sort in the household that would help spot them?
If you see the bird, what is the color and the size? Do you think it is male or female? Can you identify the species? How many birds have you counted today? How many counted so far this summer?
     Being a simple birder is good enough. However, if you or a family member is interested, a wealth of information about birds is available online. If a species is determined, say a blue jay,  are they migratory or residents, or both?
     If migrants, where do they go and when? What do they eat? For example, if that smallish red bird doesn’t quite look like a cardinal. Perhaps it is a male summer tanager, one that spent the winter in Central America and is now feeding on bees and wasps in your backyard. If a female or immature male summer tanager is near, they will be a greenish yellow. Birds surprise with variety.
     Bird feeders and waterers will attract birds in summer as well as winter. But they are not essential, as summer birds will be finding natural foods.
     Early morning and sunset are the prime times for hearing and seeing songbirds. But any time of day the curious feel like an outside trek is good enough. Don’t forget to listen for owls at night, or to watch for raptors such as hawks and turkey vultures soaring high in the sky during the day.
     Count them on the journal list. You can count birds heard in your journal listings as well as those sighted, like noisy crows.
     Make some birding sorties a quiet time for listening and watching. When people are still, nature’s sounds and movement stand out.
     Have fun, birds are enjoying summer, you might as well join them.
For help in identifying birds, visit MDC’s web page at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zhc. 
     Also, get general tips for birds and information about birds at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zhp.
     The Cornell Lab of Ornithology offers a useful website called All About Birds that includes photos, bird song recordings, and information about habitats, diets, and migrations. Visit the site at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZhG.
 

​     Trees are leafing out, morel mushrooms are emerging, and fish are active as nature’s dynamic spring patterns are unfolding. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages people to enjoy the outdoors, but MDC also encourages anglers, hikers, and hunters to observe COVID-19 physical distancing health precautions.
     Also, while fishing and turkey hunting seasons are open, the normal regulation and permit requirements apply.
     MDC and partners provide angling opportunities in urban as well as rural areas. But anglers need to have proper fishing permits, Conservation Agent Rachel Webster, who patrols Jackson County said. MDC earlier temporarily waived permit requirements for sport fishing and daily trout tags, but that waiver ended on April 15 and normal fishing regulations now apply.
     Permits can be purchased online. To buy a fishing permit or to check on requirements, visit https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/permits.
MDC conservation areas offer trails or roads to hike upon.
     But visitors are reminded that health officials recommend physical distancing when outdoors as a coronavirus precaution. Also, hikers and morel hunters should be aware that Missouri’s three-week spring turkey hunting season is open through May 10.
     Turkey hunting ends daily at 1 p.m., so hikers are advised to visit conservation areas open to hunting in the afternoons.
Extending courtesy to fellow visitors at public conservation areas is a good idea at all times. MDC’s public lands are a shared resource.
      To find and MDC conservation area with fishing or hiking opportunities near your home, visit https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places.
 

     Peregrine falcons are once again tending nests in the Kansas City area, and the public can watch one pair tend eggs and raise young online. A web camera is aimed at a nest box atop the American Century Investments office building near the Country Club Plaza. Four other nests are active with nesting falcon pairs, Joe Debold, urban wildlife biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) said.
     “All nests have eggs and incubation is occurring,” DeBold said. “They should hatch in mid-May.”
     Besides the American Century site, biologists are monitoring nests in the Kansas City metro area on smokestacks at Evergy’s Iatan and Hawthorn power plants, and on ledges or roofs at Commerce Tower and the offices of Shook, Hardy & Bacon.
     Only the American Century site has a nest site web camera streaming live video online this spring.
     Peregrine falcons are acrobatic, high-speed fliers. They historically nested on ledges on cliffs or bluffs. An endangered species in Missouri, their numbers have been increased in recent decades thanks to nest boxes placed on high places in urban areas. Peregrine falcon restoration is a partnership between MDC, private businesses, and other conservation partners.
     The adult falcons brave wind, rain, cold, sun, and sometimes hot days as they tend nests and eggs in high places. People can watch on the computer in the comfort of home or office.
     In early weeks, the adults take turns incubating eggs. They leave to hunt pigeons or other food and often return with food to the nest. Then the day arrives when the eggs hatch and the fuzzy baby falcons emerge.
     Parents come and go with food for them. Finally, it is surprising to see how fast the young grow and mature. They fledge or leave the nest in summer.
     To watch a falcon pair tend eggs and then raise young at the American Century building, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Zny.
      For more information about peregrine falcons in Missouri, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZqA.