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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 11, 2019)
A6 NEWS Blue Mountain Eagle Wednesday, December 11, 2019 Contributed photo/Peter Meyer Barb Meyer spots a great blue heron during the Christmas Bird Count in 2018. Christmas Bird Count planned for Dec. 14 By Tom Winters For the Blue Mountain Eagle The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Weston Moulton, 3, left, and his brother Ryder, 5, of Mt. Vernon make Christmas ornaments with Rick Callahan and his wife, JJ Collier, of John Day Saturday at the Blue Mountain Hospital Auxiliary bazaar at the Grant County Fairgrounds. Holiday bazaar sees elbow-to-elbow rush By Angel Carpenter Blue Mountain Eagle There was a marked increase of holiday hustle and bustle at Saturday’s Blue Mountain Hospital Auxil- iary bazaar held at the Grant County Fairgrounds pavil- ion and Keerins Hall in John Day. The event, organized by Michele Bishop of Canyon City, had 63 vendors in the pavilion and 16 in Keerins Hall. “We had eight new ven- dors this year,” said Bishop, who was voted in as the auxiliary’s vice president in September. This is her sec- ond year spearheading the annual event. Funds raised through table rentals and a drawing for handmade items donated by vendors benefit the auxil- iary’s projects. “It raises money to do great things for the com- munity,” Bishop said, add- ing that donations last year helped purchase scoop stretchers for the Blue Mountain Hospital ambu- lances, water stations at the hospital to refill water bot- tles, as well as senior center meals. “It was busier than usual,” she said. “Everyone seemed to be having fun, and it was packed at times. I think the vendors were happy.” The Eagle/Angel Carpenter The Eagle/Angel Carpenter Jim Bay of John Day purchases an item from Jamie Brown, owner of St. Serpent Herb Farm in John Day, at Saturday’s Blue Mountain Hospital Auxiliary bazaar held at the Grant County Fairgrounds pavilion. Three-year-old Freidrick Maurer of John Day is delight- ed with a small gift from Santa, a wristband. The young- ster asked Santa for some games for Christmas while at Saturday’s bazaar in John Day. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE NEWS APP TODAY! The most valuable and respected source of local news, advertising and information for our communities. Our new app offers access to the latest news as it happens with customizable features for mobile and tablet devices: • Scroll through the latest headlines while on-the-go. eomediagroup.com • Personalize your news feed with the stories you want. The 39th John Day Christmas Bird Count will be Saturday, Dec. 14. Participants will meet at The Outpost restaurant no later than 7 a.m., earlier for those wanting break- fast. The compilation and monthly bird club meeting will be at Cecil and Irene Gagnon’s home that evening starting at 5:30 p.m. Every- one is welcome that eve- ning for the potluck dinner. Participants should dress warmly and be prepared for the day’s weather. They should also bring binoculars, field guide, lunch and bev- erages as most parties will be out the full day and out of town. For more informa- tion, contact Tom Winters at 541-542-2006 or tjwin- ters1951@gmail.com. For additional birding experience, Joel Geier will conduct the Antone Christ- mas Bird Count Monday, Dec. 16. This count is cen- tered west of the John Day Fossil Beds. Participants need to meet at the Cant Ranch House at the Fos- sil Beds by 8 a.m. The com- pilation will take place after 4:15 p.m. For more informa- tion, contact Geier at joel. geier@peak.org. Since the Christmas Bird Count began 120 years ago, it has relied on the dedica- tion and commitment of vol- unteer citizen scientists. The Christmas Bird Count sea- son is Dec. 14 through Jan. 5 each year, and each com- piler chooses a date within this period. There is a spe- cific methodology to the counts, but everyone can participate. The count takes place within “count cir- cles,” which focus on spe- cific geographical areas. The John Day “circle” bound- aries are Four Corners and Beech Creek Road on the north, the John Day River crossing west of Mt. Vernon, the Canyon Creek cross- ing 5 miles south of Canyon City and Hall’s Hill to the east. Each circle is led by a count compiler, Tom Winters being the compiler for the John Day count. Beginning birders can join a group that includes at least one experi- enced birdwatcher. People whose homes are within the boundaries of a count circle can stay home and report the birds visiting feeders if they have arranged to do so with the compiler. Prior to the turn of the 20th century, hunters engaged in a holiday tradition known as the Christmas “side hunt.” They would choose sides and go afield with their guns, and whoever brought in the biggest pile of feath- ered (and furred) quarry won. Conservation was in its beginning stages in that era, and many observers and sci- entists were becoming con- cerned about declining bird populations. Beginning on Christmas Day 1900, orni- thologist Frank M. Chap- man, an early officer in the then-nascent Audubon Soci- ety, proposed a new holiday tradition: a “Christmas Bird Census” that would count birds during the holidays rather than hunt them. So began the Christmas Bird Count. Thanks to the inspiration of Chapman and the enthusiasm of 27 ded- icated birders, 25 Christ- mas Bird Counts were held that day. The locations ranged from Toronto, Can- ada, to Pacific Grove, Cali- fornia, with most counts in or near the population cen- ters of northeastern North America. Those original 27 Christmas counters tal- lied around 90 species on all the counts combined. The data collected by observers over the past century allow Audubon researchers, con- servation biologists, wildlife agencies and other interested individuals to study the long- term health and status of bird populations across North America. When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, it provides a picture of how the continent’s bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years. The long-term per- spective is vital for conserva- tionists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their hab- itat, and helps identify envi- ronmental issues with impli- cations for people as well. • Receive breaking news alerts on your phone. • Explore photos, videos and more. • Easily save articles for reading later. • Share articles with the tap of a finger. • Content can be viewed offline Are you or your children currently without health insurance coverage or are you looking for new coverage options for you or your family? when out-of-service or in flight. • Customizable settings allow you to enlarge type and choose how often content refreshes. We have team members ready to assist you in identifying potential health insurance options that may be at a reduced rate, or at no cost based on your family income. S151366-1 To subscribe, call (541)575-0710 or log on to www.bluemountaineagle.com/subscribe-now/ S158992-1
