Kimberly, Oregon -Are you interested in learning about birds? Do you want to get outside and volunteer? We have an opportunity for you to do both during the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count and no experience is needed.
You are invited to join local birders for the Antone Christmas Bird Count starting at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument on Monday, Dec. 17, 2018 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We will meet at 7:30AM the Cant Ranch House and leave promptly at 8AM.
Take part in the nation’s longest-running community bird project. This program tracks bird observations over a 24-hour period to provide an early-winter bird census. The information is used to assess the health and status of bird populations and help guide conservation actions.
Superintendent Patrick Gamman says, “John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is known for world-class fossils, but a lot of folks do not know this is also a great place to see bird species. Hone your birding skills by participating in a century-old tradition during the annual Christmas Bird Count!"
For more than a century, birders across the Americas have participated in this long-standing data collection effort. Multiple Christmas Bird Counts events are held throughout the western hemisphere from December 14-January 5. The year 2018 marks the centennial anniversary of the Migratory Bird treaty Act. To commemorate and honor the protection of birds in North America, the National Geographic Society, Audubon Society and other prominent birding groups have identified 2018 as the “Year of the Bird."
The Cant Ranch House is 12 miles west of Dayville, Oregon at 32651 U.S. Highway 19. Please be advised winter hours for the Thomas Condon Paleontology Visitor Center at the John Day Fossil Beds are 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Tuesday - Saturday, closed on Sundays and Mondays. Admission is free year round and all outdoor areas are open from sunrise until sunset. For more information please contact John Day Fossil Beds National Monument at 541-987-2333 x 1233.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
