![]() By Stephanie Bearce Today marks the end of the 121st annual Christmas Bird Count. It’s an event that started in 1920 when Audubon Society officer, Frank Chapman offered an alternative to the annual Christmas hunt. Instead of holiday hunters competing to see who could shoot the most birds, Chapman suggested a national bird census. Today thousands of citizen scientists across the Western Hemisphere participate in the count that starts on December 14 and ends on January 5. The Christmas count has informed conservation programs for generations and provides an invaluable historic record of bird species. It’s such an amazing event that Ninja author Lisa Amstutz, knew it would be perfect material for a book. Thus, was born FINDING A DOVE FOR GRAMPS, a charming story about a boy participating in the Christmas bird count and his quest to spy Gramps’ favorite bird. I caught up with Lisa and asked her a few questions about taking a famous even and turning it into a book. I asked her how she came to know about the event and if she had participated. Lisa: The book was inspired by a bird count I accompanied my father on as a child. I've since participated in several other bird counts, and I always learn something new. For those just starting out, the Great Backyard Bird Count is a good way to ease in - it can be done right in your own backyard. This event takes place in February each year (see https://www.birdcount.org/). Project Feederwatch is another great option that runs from November to April (https://feederwatch.org/). These citizen science projects collect data that is very useful to scientists who study bird populations. Q. Are you a Birder? Lisa: Yes! I love watching birds, identifying them, and keeping track of the species I see each year. But I'm not nearly as good at it as I'd like. We hang out several types of feeders to attract birds to our yard and look for them on hikes. One of my favorite places to visit is a nearby nature center where visitors can hand-feed titmice and chickadees. There's something awe-inspiring about having a wild bird perch on your finger! Q. As a scientist, could you explain why you think birds are important? Lisa: Birds are an important part of the ecosystem. Larger animals rely on them for food. Birds in turn feed on insects, rodents, snakes, and other small animals. If birds disappeared, these animal populations would explode, destroying crops and affecting animal and human health. Some birds also play a role in pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. Q. What is your favorite local bird? (Lisa lives in Ohio) Lisa: Wow, that's a tough question! Not sure I can pick just one. I do love the mourning doves found in the book, and the cardinals and chickadees that come to my feeder always make me smile. But it's also exciting to spot a less common bird, like a bald eagle, an indigo bunting, or a bobwhite. If any of you reading this would like to share in the comments, I'd love to hear what your favorite birds are! FINDING A DOVE FOR GRAMPS is a great example of how to take an annual event and use it to create a successful manuscript. Her experience enriched the story and caught the eye of an editor. What events are you involved in that might make a great book? Here are a few celebrations to help spark the writing process. You can find more at https://www.calendarr.com/united-states/observances-2021/ January 2 - National Science Fiction Day January 4 - World Braille Day January 11 - National Milk Day January 29 - National Puzzle Day February 3 – Feed the Birds Day February 11 – National Inventors’ Day February 15 – Daisy Gatson Bates Day February 21 – International Day of Forests March 4 – National Grammar Day March 15 – National Napping Day March 21- World Poetry Day March 23 – National Puppy Day
5 Comments
1/6/2021 07:17:07 am
Congrats to Lisa for all her great books and on her recent foray into the agenting realm. I also live in Ohio and frequently run into Lisa at SCBWI events and occasionally at Ohioanna. Like Lisa, I love the birds that show up at our feeders: Cardinals, Doves, Chickadees, Wrens, Juncos, Blue Jays, Grackles, and Gold and Red finches. But the special, you don't see them every day birds, are my favorite. We have enjoyed Cowbirds, Tufted Titmice, Red Breasted Gross Beaks, Downy Wood Peckers, Red Headed Wood Peckers, and Northern Flickers. And down the road at a local pond we saw a Bald Eagle, A Kingfisher, various ducks, and Canadian Geese :0)
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Jilanne Hoffmann
1/6/2021 10:17:01 am
Scientists and volunteers do an annual hawk count around Hawk Hill in the Marin Headlands near San Francisco every year. We haven't participated in it, but we did take part in a BioBlitz using iNaturalist (phone app) to identify species of plants and insects in a large park near our home. It was great fun and interesting to find out more about our local ecosystem.
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1/6/2021 10:49:17 am
Lisa - The activity guide for your book is fantastic. I've looked at it several times. Adds so much to the experience of reading and talking about the book and birds! Congrats.
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Susan Eyerman
1/6/2021 08:58:11 pm
Thanks for the calendar of events! I live in Cleveland near the Metroparks. Our feeders have been very busy with finches, several different woodpeckers, cardinals and others. My all-time favorite bird is the Robin. We actually have quite a few that visit in winter. They may come down from Canada for warmer temps. We put out raisins all year long. It keeps them coming back to our yard where they help control pests. We do get scolded if we forget. Happy, healthy , and successful 2021 to you.
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Linda Hofke
1/7/2021 05:33:57 pm
Nice interview. It's nice that children can learn about events like this and possibly take part.
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