As time marches on and the years seem to come and go at such a rapid pace, I feel that it is more important than ever, for me at least, to focus on what matters. There will always be a Christmas rush, with people hurrying to complete their Christmas shopping. But Christmas should be more about being with the people we love (in whatever form that takes) and doing things for them rather than the material things we give and get.
Grand gestures are sometimes nice but, as far as I’m concerned, it’s the little things that mean the most. And what seems like a little thing can sometimes be very significant. Listening and recognizing the feelings behind the words can be profound. Anticipating and meeting another’s needs without them speaking a word shows the kind of respect we seem to be lacking these days. And valuing others for their differences, rather than tolerating them or, worse yet, persecuting them, certainly makes the world a better place.
With each passing day, not just at Christmastime, but throughout the entire year, I realize how important it is to be grateful for so many things, especially those we take for granted. For example, the gift of eyesight to view all the beauty in this world, like wildlife or silently falling snow.
Or the gift of hearing birds gently welcoming the dawn or the almost deafening rush of a huge waterfall.
There is a lot of turmoil in our world right now, but I choose to focus on all of the gifts we’ve been given by God or the Universe or however you choose to explain some of the most beautiful and unexplainable wonders in this world. Beauty is all around us. All you have to do is let it in. This Christmas, I wish you the inspiration to do just that.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Shunpiking To Heaven Backroads Blog
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Thursday, December 19, 2019
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
A Christmas Ride
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes. Just click on the desired photo and look for the blue “BUY” button.
A couple years ago, we published a blog post about a Halloween Truck that we were lucky enough to find. And we were even more blessed to meet the owners of this truck, who were very kind to us. They told us to come back at Christmas time to see the truck decorated for Christmas.
Weather conditions that Christmas weren’t ideal, so we didn’t make it there until January 3rd, but we were lucky to find the truck with a lighted tree in the back. The Halloween truck had been driven by a ghoulish-looking man. If you look closely at the back window of the Christmas truck, you’ll get a hint of who was driving then.
Well, it was none other than dear old Santa Claus. And I almost thought I heard him singing, “Oh what fun it is to ride in an antique pickup truck!”
Wherever, whenever, and however you celebrate the holiday season, I wish you love and joy!
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Happy Holidays and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes. Just click on the desired photo and look for the blue “BUY” button.
A couple years ago, we published a blog post about a Halloween Truck that we were lucky enough to find. And we were even more blessed to meet the owners of this truck, who were very kind to us. They told us to come back at Christmas time to see the truck decorated for Christmas.
Weather conditions that Christmas weren’t ideal, so we didn’t make it there until January 3rd, but we were lucky to find the truck with a lighted tree in the back. The Halloween truck had been driven by a ghoulish-looking man. If you look closely at the back window of the Christmas truck, you’ll get a hint of who was driving then.
Well, it was none other than dear old Santa Claus. And I almost thought I heard him singing, “Oh what fun it is to ride in an antique pickup truck!”
Wherever, whenever, and however you celebrate the holiday season, I wish you love and joy!
Photos in this blog post can be purchased as wall art, paper prints, downloads, phone cases, and keepsakes by clicking on the photo. You will be taken to the gallery website where you will see a big blue "BUY" button. Or to see all photos available, click on the "Browse Galleries" button on the menu at the top of this page. Thank you for your interest!
Happy Holidays and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Countdown to Christmas
By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
It’s just 3 days until Christmas, but looking out the door in southern Wisconsin, there is no hint of snow. We’ve had several snows, but after each one, warm weather returned and any snow we received has melted.
It’s a little easier to believe it’s almost Christmas if you go out at night and look at the Christmas lights around town. Many larger cities have a light display in a park that you can drive or walk through. They’ll usually have Christmas music playing to help bring on Christmas cheer.
According to the weather forecast, there is little chance of a white Christmas in our area of the country, in fact, in most of the eastern United States. (Most people know I don’t put all that much faith in the weather people, but in this case, I fear they are correct.)
The good news is, any driving people will be doing will be over clear roads. The bad news for us is we probably won’t get many, if any, new Christmas photos this year. We’ll just keep adding to our list of places we want to go in a year when we do get Christmas snow.
We’re sure to get some snow eventually, but for now, you can do other things to get into the Christmas spirit. Watch some favorite Christmas movies, listen to your favorite Christmas music, bake some of your family’s favorite cookies and candy, or get a group of friends together and go caroling in your neighborhood.
Whatever you do, we hope your Christmas is filled with joy and happiness, and that you spend time with family and friends.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
It’s just 3 days until Christmas, but looking out the door in southern Wisconsin, there is no hint of snow. We’ve had several snows, but after each one, warm weather returned and any snow we received has melted.
It’s a little easier to believe it’s almost Christmas if you go out at night and look at the Christmas lights around town. Many larger cities have a light display in a park that you can drive or walk through. They’ll usually have Christmas music playing to help bring on Christmas cheer.
According to the weather forecast, there is little chance of a white Christmas in our area of the country, in fact, in most of the eastern United States. (Most people know I don’t put all that much faith in the weather people, but in this case, I fear they are correct.)
The good news is, any driving people will be doing will be over clear roads. The bad news for us is we probably won’t get many, if any, new Christmas photos this year. We’ll just keep adding to our list of places we want to go in a year when we do get Christmas snow.
We’re sure to get some snow eventually, but for now, you can do other things to get into the Christmas spirit. Watch some favorite Christmas movies, listen to your favorite Christmas music, bake some of your family’s favorite cookies and candy, or get a group of friends together and go caroling in your neighborhood.
Whatever you do, we hope your Christmas is filled with joy and happiness, and that you spend time with family and friends.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
I’ve always been a fan of snow, especially for Christmas. But this year, although November temperatures felt like January, we haven’t had any measurable snow in the month of December. And, as I begin the writing of this blog post, my home is surrounded in dense fog. Instead of looking out my window at the snow-covered woods, I am dreaming of a white Christmas, like the ones I remember as a child.
Last winter, due to the polar vortex that besieged much of the country, Ruth and I ventured out only twice to photograph. And because our family gathers on days other than Christmas Day, we had the opportunity on Christmas afternoon to capture some holiday scenes.
We decided to visit Mineral Point, Wisconsin’s third oldest city, with a population of about 2,500. Mineral Point has some of the most beautiful 19th century architecture and is a town filled with artists' studios. We figured we might find some great Christmas scenes there and our hunch was correct.
Mineral Point is about an hour to the southeast of where I live and we left home around mid-afternoon, thinking that would give us enough time to capture some snow scenes and Christmas scenes prior to dusk when the Christmas lights would come on.
However, about 20 minutes from home, it began to snow heavily and we debated if we should continue our trip because the roads were getting a little slippery. The snow seemed intermittent so, being the diehards that we are, we decided to keep going.
Due to the slower driving speed in the snow, we reached Mineral Point with a limited amount of time to photograph before dusk, so we worked quickly. First we visited High Street and captured some of the daylight scenes you saw above. Then we visited the First Methodist Church and I trudged through the snowbanks to capture the church doors as the snow continued to lightly fall.
Then there was just enough time to drive down Shake Rag Street, where Cornish immigrants settled in the 1830s. I hurried to capture a few scenes before we needed to head back to High Street for the 20 minutes or so of perfect lighting for the Christmas lights.
The scenes were beautiful but the snow began to fall more heavily and the snowflakes were huge and very wet. So it was a challenge to keep my camera lens clean as I captured the scenes. After a few minutes, I was covered in wet snow, but I had what I needed and we headed back downtown.
As dusk began to fall, we parked the car on Commerce Street to capture a row of stores all decked out for the holidays. There was garland around the windows and lamp posts, and there were wreaths on the street lamps. I set up my tripod and got my camera ready and waited for the lights to come on….and waited…..and waited.
“Oh, oh,” I said to myself, “I’ll bet they have the lights set to come on at 5:00 pm, which will be too late to get the perfect lighting.” Finally, I picked up my camera equipment and headed back to the car to talk to Ruth. Just as I began to tell her that we might be out of luck, the whole town lit up. Now there was no time to spare. So I quickly went back to my original position and started snapping.
Then we headed up High Street to recapture some of the scenes I had captured earlier, now lit up with Christmas lights. The snow continued and the wind began to blow, which made it even more difficult to keep my camera lens free from splotches of wet snow.
As darkness began to descend on the town, I worked to capture the last Christmas scenes before it was too dark.
The last thing I really wanted to capture was a long street scene, but there was a car parked in the way….the only car on that side of the street at that time. I said, maybe even out loud, “I sure wish someone would move that car.” A few seconds later, a man came out of one of the doors, hopped in the car, and drove off. Ask and you shall receive.
As I wrap up this blog post, I am listening to some instrumental Christmas music, drinking a cup of hot cocoa, savoring a gluten-free cutout cookie my sisters lovingly baked and beautifully decorated for me, and dreaming of a white Christmas.
May your holiday season be a blessed one shared with family and friends and may you remember the true meaning of Christmas.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
I’ve always been a fan of snow, especially for Christmas. But this year, although November temperatures felt like January, we haven’t had any measurable snow in the month of December. And, as I begin the writing of this blog post, my home is surrounded in dense fog. Instead of looking out my window at the snow-covered woods, I am dreaming of a white Christmas, like the ones I remember as a child.
Last winter, due to the polar vortex that besieged much of the country, Ruth and I ventured out only twice to photograph. And because our family gathers on days other than Christmas Day, we had the opportunity on Christmas afternoon to capture some holiday scenes.
We decided to visit Mineral Point, Wisconsin’s third oldest city, with a population of about 2,500. Mineral Point has some of the most beautiful 19th century architecture and is a town filled with artists' studios. We figured we might find some great Christmas scenes there and our hunch was correct.
Mineral Point is about an hour to the southeast of where I live and we left home around mid-afternoon, thinking that would give us enough time to capture some snow scenes and Christmas scenes prior to dusk when the Christmas lights would come on.
However, about 20 minutes from home, it began to snow heavily and we debated if we should continue our trip because the roads were getting a little slippery. The snow seemed intermittent so, being the diehards that we are, we decided to keep going.
Due to the slower driving speed in the snow, we reached Mineral Point with a limited amount of time to photograph before dusk, so we worked quickly. First we visited High Street and captured some of the daylight scenes you saw above. Then we visited the First Methodist Church and I trudged through the snowbanks to capture the church doors as the snow continued to lightly fall.
Then there was just enough time to drive down Shake Rag Street, where Cornish immigrants settled in the 1830s. I hurried to capture a few scenes before we needed to head back to High Street for the 20 minutes or so of perfect lighting for the Christmas lights.
The scenes were beautiful but the snow began to fall more heavily and the snowflakes were huge and very wet. So it was a challenge to keep my camera lens clean as I captured the scenes. After a few minutes, I was covered in wet snow, but I had what I needed and we headed back downtown.
As dusk began to fall, we parked the car on Commerce Street to capture a row of stores all decked out for the holidays. There was garland around the windows and lamp posts, and there were wreaths on the street lamps. I set up my tripod and got my camera ready and waited for the lights to come on….and waited…..and waited.
“Oh, oh,” I said to myself, “I’ll bet they have the lights set to come on at 5:00 pm, which will be too late to get the perfect lighting.” Finally, I picked up my camera equipment and headed back to the car to talk to Ruth. Just as I began to tell her that we might be out of luck, the whole town lit up. Now there was no time to spare. So I quickly went back to my original position and started snapping.
Then we headed up High Street to recapture some of the scenes I had captured earlier, now lit up with Christmas lights. The snow continued and the wind began to blow, which made it even more difficult to keep my camera lens free from splotches of wet snow.
As darkness began to descend on the town, I worked to capture the last Christmas scenes before it was too dark.
The last thing I really wanted to capture was a long street scene, but there was a car parked in the way….the only car on that side of the street at that time. I said, maybe even out loud, “I sure wish someone would move that car.” A few seconds later, a man came out of one of the doors, hopped in the car, and drove off. Ask and you shall receive.
As I wrap up this blog post, I am listening to some instrumental Christmas music, drinking a cup of hot cocoa, savoring a gluten-free cutout cookie my sisters lovingly baked and beautifully decorated for me, and dreaming of a white Christmas.
May your holiday season be a blessed one shared with family and friends and may you remember the true meaning of Christmas.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Wreaths Across America
By Ruth A. Ringelstetter
On December 14, 2013, Joann and I visited Forest Hill Cemetery on a mission. Earlier in the day, wreaths had been placed on many of the veterans’ graves during the national Wreaths Across America ceremony.
It all started with one man, Morrill Worcester, who owns the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine. He had won a trip to Washington D.C. when he was 12, and one of the places he visited on that trip was Arlington National Cemetery. It made such an impression on him that, in 1992, when he found himself with excess wreaths towards the end of the Christmas season, he arranged to have them placed on the graves of veterans in one of the oldest sections of graves at Arlington.
A trucking company volunteered to transport the wreaths all the way to Arlington and members of the local American Legion and VFW Posts gathered to decorate the wreaths with traditional red, hand-tied bows. The wreaths were laid at the graves by members of the Maine State Society of Washington D.C. That first wreath laying included a special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The annual wreath laying went on quietly until 2005 when a photographer posted a photo to the Internet of rows of graves adorned with wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery. The photograph generated national interest, and thousands of requests came from all over the country. People wanted to help at Arlington, or to start the same wreath laying at their own State and National Veterans cemeteries.
It was not possible for Worcester to donate thousands of wreaths to each state, so he began sending seven wreaths to every state, one for each branch of the military and for POW/MIAs. In 2006, the Civil Air Patrol and other civic organizations helped to coordinate the simultaneous laying of wreaths at over 150 locations around the country. That year, the Patriot Guard Riders volunteered to escort the wreaths to Arlington. That began the annual “Veterans Honor Parade” that travels the east coast from Maine to Virginia in early December.
By this time, it was apparent that there was more interest in remembering and honoring our country’s veterans than just Arlington, and it was bigger than this one company could take on.
In 2007, the Worcester family, veterans groups, and other individuals who had helped with the annual Christmas wreath ceremony at Arlington formed Wreaths Across America. The mission is simply “Remember. Honor. Teach.”
In 2008, the wreath laying ceremonies had expanded to over 300 locations in every state, Puerto Rico, and 24 overseas cemeteries. Over 100,000 wreaths were laid, and over 60,000 volunteers participated. That year, December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the US Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day.”
By 2010, the number of wreaths had grown to over 220,000, and the number of locations had grown to 545, including the Pearl Harbor Memorial, Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, and the sites of the September 11 tragedies. It was accomplished by 902 fundraising groups, corporate contributions, donations of trucking and shipping, and the help of thousands of volunteers.
The wreath laying is still held annually on the second or third Saturday in December. The goal for most of the cemeteries is to lay a wreath at each gravestone, but they need more donations to make that happen.
If you are near a National cemetery or a cemetery with a Soldiers’ Lot, stop in and pay your respects at the veterans’ graves. You won’t soon forget the sight of the rows and rows of identical gravestones, and the wreaths laying at many.
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
On December 14, 2013, Joann and I visited Forest Hill Cemetery on a mission. Earlier in the day, wreaths had been placed on many of the veterans’ graves during the national Wreaths Across America ceremony.
It all started with one man, Morrill Worcester, who owns the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine. He had won a trip to Washington D.C. when he was 12, and one of the places he visited on that trip was Arlington National Cemetery. It made such an impression on him that, in 1992, when he found himself with excess wreaths towards the end of the Christmas season, he arranged to have them placed on the graves of veterans in one of the oldest sections of graves at Arlington.
A trucking company volunteered to transport the wreaths all the way to Arlington and members of the local American Legion and VFW Posts gathered to decorate the wreaths with traditional red, hand-tied bows. The wreaths were laid at the graves by members of the Maine State Society of Washington D.C. That first wreath laying included a special ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The annual wreath laying went on quietly until 2005 when a photographer posted a photo to the Internet of rows of graves adorned with wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery. The photograph generated national interest, and thousands of requests came from all over the country. People wanted to help at Arlington, or to start the same wreath laying at their own State and National Veterans cemeteries.
It was not possible for Worcester to donate thousands of wreaths to each state, so he began sending seven wreaths to every state, one for each branch of the military and for POW/MIAs. In 2006, the Civil Air Patrol and other civic organizations helped to coordinate the simultaneous laying of wreaths at over 150 locations around the country. That year, the Patriot Guard Riders volunteered to escort the wreaths to Arlington. That began the annual “Veterans Honor Parade” that travels the east coast from Maine to Virginia in early December.
By this time, it was apparent that there was more interest in remembering and honoring our country’s veterans than just Arlington, and it was bigger than this one company could take on.
In 2007, the Worcester family, veterans groups, and other individuals who had helped with the annual Christmas wreath ceremony at Arlington formed Wreaths Across America. The mission is simply “Remember. Honor. Teach.”
In 2008, the wreath laying ceremonies had expanded to over 300 locations in every state, Puerto Rico, and 24 overseas cemeteries. Over 100,000 wreaths were laid, and over 60,000 volunteers participated. That year, December 13, 2008 was unanimously voted by the US Congress as “Wreaths Across America Day.”
By 2010, the number of wreaths had grown to over 220,000, and the number of locations had grown to 545, including the Pearl Harbor Memorial, Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, and the sites of the September 11 tragedies. It was accomplished by 902 fundraising groups, corporate contributions, donations of trucking and shipping, and the help of thousands of volunteers.
The wreath laying is still held annually on the second or third Saturday in December. The goal for most of the cemeteries is to lay a wreath at each gravestone, but they need more donations to make that happen.
If you are near a National cemetery or a cemetery with a Soldiers’ Lot, stop in and pay your respects at the veterans’ graves. You won’t soon forget the sight of the rows and rows of identical gravestones, and the wreaths laying at many.
Happy Shunpiking!
Ruth
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Behold, I Bring You Tidings of Great Joy
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men."
Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2; Verses 8-14
Ruth and I wish everyone a blessed, peaceful Christmas. And, as always Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men."
Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2; Verses 8-14
Ruth and I wish everyone a blessed, peaceful Christmas. And, as always Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
Friday, December 21, 2012
Christmas Bird Count
By Joann M. Ringelstetter
This year, from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, the 113th Christmas Bird Count is taking place throughout the United States, Canada, and several other countires. Ruth and I will be out at sunrise on December 22 to spend the day counting every bird we see or hear in our assigned count area. This will be the 18th Christmas Bird Count for us.
The Christmas Bird Count was born out of a concern by ornithologist Frank Chapman regarding the number of birds that were being killed in the annual Christmas “Side Hunt.” This tradition called for sides to be chosen, followed by teams heading to the fields to shoot as many birds and animals as they could. The side returning with the most dead animals and birds was declared the winner of the event.
Realizing that the declining bird populations would not survive this tradition, Frank Chapman suggested that birds be counted on Christmas Day rather than hunted. This resulted in the first Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which occurred on Christmas Day in the year 1900. That day, 27 dedicated birders participated in 25 inaugural Christmas Bird Counts, tallying around 90 species in total. Last year, tens of thousands of birders gathered data in over 2200 CBCs. This data, which has now been collected for over a century, is valuable to conservation biologists and researchers in determining the long-term status of bird populations.
In 1994, Ruth and I participated in our first Christmas Bird Count, which occurred the day after Christmas. Because it was our first experience with a bird survey, we were lucky to have the guidance of a very experienced birder to “show us the ropes.”
It was extremely foggy that day and the fog didn’t lift until around noon, so mostly we birded by ear. At one point, however, as we crossed a bridge over a small stream, the other first-time CBC participant who was with us thought she saw something in the stream, which was mostly frozen over. Ruth and I looked long and hard with our binoculars and said it wasn’t moving, but our friend insisted that we set up the spotting scope to make sure we didn’t miss something.
After setting up the scope on the tripod and taking a closer look, we confirmed that it was actually a goose decoy frozen in the stream. Well, you can imagine the laughter and kidding (for years to come) over that “species.” Later in the day, when we were tallying the day’s counts, we jokingly tried to enter one “frozen goose” on the official count form, which caused another fit of laughter from the group. One of the highlights of that day was counting 49 mourning doves gathered in a cornfield toward the end of the day.
As we look and listen for birds to count, we do a lot of it from the car (because of the weather), but we also get out and walk as much as we can. We use our binoculars and a spotting scope, check bird feeders by homes, watch the sky for anything flying over, hope to see something rare or unusual, check our many bird reference guides to validate our observations, meet a lot of nice people (and some suspicious ones), and have quite an enjoyable day.
In 1996, we recorded our first CBC bald eagles (five of them) and our first pileated woodpecker.
We also counted 111 wild turkeys during that count. Over the years, turkeys have become a source of fun for us. Sometimes they are easily spotted and the numbers are large. Other times, they are nowhere to be found. At some point, someone in the car will say, “Hey, there’s a turkey!” And when the rest of us look but don’t see it, that someone will point to another person in the group, identifying them as the turkey.
In 1998, on a very cold day with snow on the ground, we recorded four Eastern Bluebirds. They were sitting on a bittersweet vine and the bright orange berries complemented the orange on the breast of the bluebirds. I wish I could have gotten a photograph, but I would have scared them away, so we just took a mental snapshot. We also saw about 120 robins in one tree, which was an unusual sight indeed. And, in 2000, during a heavy snowfall, we managed to see a short-eared owl hunkered down in a ravine. This was a very special treat!
As I mentioned before, we are always hoping to see something rare during our Christmas Bird Counts, such as this:
I’m just kidding, of course, because it would be rare indeed if we saw a Greater Roadrunner here in Wisconsin. But someone conducting a CBC in the Southwest will surely see one. Speaking of rare birds and our CBC kidding, we conducted a CBC one year without one of our usual companions. At the end of the day, we met up with this friend, who was eager to learn what we had observed that day.
When she looked at the copy of the data form that we had supposedly submitted to the CBC compiler, which would then be turned into the Audubon Society, she was stunned, not to mention upset with us. In the “Rare Bird” section, we had filled in “One Blue-Footed Booby,” which is a bird that has bright blue webbed feet and lives off the western coasts of Central and South America. She was really worried that we would be banned from participating in future CBCs, until we started to giggle uncontrollably.
Participating in the Christmas Bird Count every year on a day very close to Christmas allows us to get out and enjoy the early Wisconsin winter. And when we see a farm scene decorated for Christmas, it adds to our enjoyment.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
This year, from Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, the 113th Christmas Bird Count is taking place throughout the United States, Canada, and several other countires. Ruth and I will be out at sunrise on December 22 to spend the day counting every bird we see or hear in our assigned count area. This will be the 18th Christmas Bird Count for us.
The Christmas Bird Count was born out of a concern by ornithologist Frank Chapman regarding the number of birds that were being killed in the annual Christmas “Side Hunt.” This tradition called for sides to be chosen, followed by teams heading to the fields to shoot as many birds and animals as they could. The side returning with the most dead animals and birds was declared the winner of the event.
Realizing that the declining bird populations would not survive this tradition, Frank Chapman suggested that birds be counted on Christmas Day rather than hunted. This resulted in the first Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which occurred on Christmas Day in the year 1900. That day, 27 dedicated birders participated in 25 inaugural Christmas Bird Counts, tallying around 90 species in total. Last year, tens of thousands of birders gathered data in over 2200 CBCs. This data, which has now been collected for over a century, is valuable to conservation biologists and researchers in determining the long-term status of bird populations.
In 1994, Ruth and I participated in our first Christmas Bird Count, which occurred the day after Christmas. Because it was our first experience with a bird survey, we were lucky to have the guidance of a very experienced birder to “show us the ropes.”
It was extremely foggy that day and the fog didn’t lift until around noon, so mostly we birded by ear. At one point, however, as we crossed a bridge over a small stream, the other first-time CBC participant who was with us thought she saw something in the stream, which was mostly frozen over. Ruth and I looked long and hard with our binoculars and said it wasn’t moving, but our friend insisted that we set up the spotting scope to make sure we didn’t miss something.
After setting up the scope on the tripod and taking a closer look, we confirmed that it was actually a goose decoy frozen in the stream. Well, you can imagine the laughter and kidding (for years to come) over that “species.” Later in the day, when we were tallying the day’s counts, we jokingly tried to enter one “frozen goose” on the official count form, which caused another fit of laughter from the group. One of the highlights of that day was counting 49 mourning doves gathered in a cornfield toward the end of the day.
As we look and listen for birds to count, we do a lot of it from the car (because of the weather), but we also get out and walk as much as we can. We use our binoculars and a spotting scope, check bird feeders by homes, watch the sky for anything flying over, hope to see something rare or unusual, check our many bird reference guides to validate our observations, meet a lot of nice people (and some suspicious ones), and have quite an enjoyable day.
In 1996, we recorded our first CBC bald eagles (five of them) and our first pileated woodpecker.
We also counted 111 wild turkeys during that count. Over the years, turkeys have become a source of fun for us. Sometimes they are easily spotted and the numbers are large. Other times, they are nowhere to be found. At some point, someone in the car will say, “Hey, there’s a turkey!” And when the rest of us look but don’t see it, that someone will point to another person in the group, identifying them as the turkey.
In 1998, on a very cold day with snow on the ground, we recorded four Eastern Bluebirds. They were sitting on a bittersweet vine and the bright orange berries complemented the orange on the breast of the bluebirds. I wish I could have gotten a photograph, but I would have scared them away, so we just took a mental snapshot. We also saw about 120 robins in one tree, which was an unusual sight indeed. And, in 2000, during a heavy snowfall, we managed to see a short-eared owl hunkered down in a ravine. This was a very special treat!
As I mentioned before, we are always hoping to see something rare during our Christmas Bird Counts, such as this:
I’m just kidding, of course, because it would be rare indeed if we saw a Greater Roadrunner here in Wisconsin. But someone conducting a CBC in the Southwest will surely see one. Speaking of rare birds and our CBC kidding, we conducted a CBC one year without one of our usual companions. At the end of the day, we met up with this friend, who was eager to learn what we had observed that day.
When she looked at the copy of the data form that we had supposedly submitted to the CBC compiler, which would then be turned into the Audubon Society, she was stunned, not to mention upset with us. In the “Rare Bird” section, we had filled in “One Blue-Footed Booby,” which is a bird that has bright blue webbed feet and lives off the western coasts of Central and South America. She was really worried that we would be banned from participating in future CBCs, until we started to giggle uncontrollably.
Participating in the Christmas Bird Count every year on a day very close to Christmas allows us to get out and enjoy the early Wisconsin winter. And when we see a farm scene decorated for Christmas, it adds to our enjoyment.
Merry Christmas and Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
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