shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com December 10, 2019 • Page 3 Help Count Birds For Science During Audubon’s 120th Annual Christmas Bird Count Sioux City, Iowa –The National Audubon Society invites birdwatchers to participate in the longestrunning community science survey, the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). On Saturday, December 14, birders and nature enthusiasts in Sioux City will take part in this tradition, many rising before dawn to participate. Loess Hills Audubon Society members participate in several CBC's each year and some serve as the count compilers. Last year in Sioux City several teams of 23 birders found 63 species and counted a total of 12,152 birds. Highlights included Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher and Red-headed Woodpecker. This year, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count will mobilize nearly 80,000 volunteer bird counters in more than 2,600 locations across the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Latin America. The Audubon Christmas Bird Count utilizes the power of volunteers to track the health of bird populations at a scale that scientists could never accomplish alone. Data compiled in Sioux City will record every individual bird and bird species seen in a specified area, contributing to a vast community science network that continues a tradition stretching back 120 years. “The Christmas Bird Count is a great tradition and opportunity for everyone to be a part of 120 years of ongoing community science,” said Geoff LeBaron, Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count director, who first started leading the community science effort in 1987. “Adding your observations to twelve decades of data helps scientists and conservationists discover trends that make our work more impactful. Participating in the Christmas Bird Count is a fun and meaningful way to spend a winter for anyone and everyone.” When combined with other surveys such as the Breeding Bird Survey, Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count provides a picture of how the continent's bird populations have changed in time and space over the past hundred years. The long-term perspective is vital for conservationists. It informs strategies to protect birds and their habitat, and helps identify environmental issues with implications for people as well. For example, earlier this year, Science published a study using decades of Audubon Christmas Bird Count data to describe a grim picture: a steady decline of nearly three billion North American birds since 1970, primarily as a result of human activities. Christmas Bird Count data have been used in more than 300 peer-reviewed articles. A brand-new feature for this year’s 120th Christmas Bird Count will be “CBC Live,” a crowdsourced, hemisphere-wide storytelling function using Esri mapping software. This “story-map” will ask users to upload a photo taken during their Christmas Bird Count as well as a short anecdote to paint a global picture of the Christmas Bird Count in real time. Birders of all ages are welcome to contribute to this fun, nationwide community science project, which provides ornithologists with a crucial snapshot of our native bird populations during the winter months. Each individual count is performed in a count circle with a diameter of 15 miles. At least ten volunteers, including a compiler to coordinate the process, count in each circle. The volunteers break up into small parties and follow assigned routes, which change little from year to year, counting every bird they see. In most count circles, some people also watch feeders instead of following routes. To sign up for a count, please visit/contact: Jerry Probst at 712-490-8256 probstsuebee@aol.com or Bill Huser, 712-574-3107, BillFHuser@gmail.com. More can be found at: http://lhas.tripod.com/ id15.html Sioux City & Surrounding Area’s Christmas Bird Count Dates & Locations: December 14 - Saturday - Sioux City Christmas Bird Count Jerry Probst, Count Compiler 712-490-8256. December 15 - Sunday - Yankton Christmas Bird Count December 17 - Tuesday - Westfield Christmas Bird Count December 18 Wednesday - Ponca State Park Christmas Bird Count January 4 - Saturday Ida Grove Christmas Bird Count Bill Huser, Count Compiler 712-574-3107 To sign up for a Christmas Bird Count and ensure your bird count data make it into the official Audubon database, please find the circle nearest you and register with your local Christmas Bird Count compiler on this map here. All Christmas Bird Count data must be submitted through the official compiler to be added to the long-running census. The Audubon Christmas Bird Count is a community science project organized by the National Audubon Society. There is no fee to participate. Counts are open to birders of all skill levels and Audubon’s free Bird Guide app makes it even easier to learn more. For more information and to find a count near you visit www. christmasbirdcount.org. The Loess Hills Audubon Society exists to educate individuals and the general public to enjoy and promote birding, to support ornithology and to be an advocate for wild areas and environmental issues. Loess Hills Audubon is a chapter of the National Audubon Society. About Audubon The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-theground conservation. Audubon’s state programs, nature centers, chapters and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. Since 1905, Audubon’s vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon is a nonprofit conservation organization. Learn more at www.audubon.org and @audubonsociety. South Dakota School Superintendents Winter Reading Program On At Library Respond To Budget Address The Executive Board of the South Dakota School Superintendents Association voted unanimously on Wednesday, Dec. 4, to issue the following statement in response to Governor Noem’s budget address: The 2016 Legislature passed into law what has become known as the “Blue Ribbon Task Force Recommendation”, which did the following: • Designated $63 million in ongoing money for teacher’s salaries that moved South Dakota out of “51st” in the nation, and allowed our public schools to compete for the best and brightest teachers in our region to stay in South Dakota. The allocation of that money is carefully monitored by the Joint Appropriations through the work of the School Finance Accountability Board. • Reduced the amount of growth in capital outlay, cutting eligible tax collections for structures and equipment; a revenue reduction (now approximately $24 million annually) which will continue to increase. • Eliminated the pension fund levy, a reduction of approximately $4.5 million annually in taxes. • Refunded property tax payers by using 40% of the new “half-penny sales tax” as a reduction in property taxes. • The law put in statute a requirement that the “Target Teacher Salary” would increase each year by the “Consumer Price Index” or 3%, whichever is less, which assures South Dakotans that teacher salaries will continue to remain competitive in the region. School Superintendents want the public to know that our organization is deeply concerned with a series of events that are affecting South Dakota’s public school districts. • The 2018 legislature failed to meet the statute in just the second year of existence, reducing the increase to 1% when CPI was 1.7%. • Governor Noem’s budget proposal calls for a 0% increase in the “Teacher Target Salary” while the Consumer Price Index is at 2%. • Public schools are being criticized for their state test scores. Our organization wants our communities to know the following: • Individual students are learning and growing. • Many of our students enter school with lower entry skills than at any time in history. • The number of students attending school with mental health issues is increasing at an exponential rate. • Workforce initiatives are bringing in students from all over the world who are learning at amazing rates, however, are required to test in language proficiency after just one year in the country. SDSU Beef Day To Be Held Jan. 16 South Dakota State Extension events page. at no cost without lunch. Extension Livestock University and SDSU Early registration is Participants also have Stewardship Field Extension are hosting the $30 before Dec. 20, and the option of signing Specialist & Beef Quality first annual SDSU Beef $45 after that. Student up for beef research Assurance Coordinator, Day on Jan. 16, starting registration is $10 with facility tours. Contact for more information at at 10 AM in the Club 71 lunch or they may attend Heidi Carroll, SDSU 605.688.6623 or by email. meeting room of the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings. When You Want Comfort… You Want Kalins! Research and extension Vermillion: 605-624-5618 programs in the areas of *Rebate reproduction, cow/calf, offer only available to Vermillion Light & Power customers. Call for full details. feedlot, meat science and human nutrition will be 70 years as a Premier Lennox® Dealer highlighted. 98 years in the Business Agenda: 400 years of Heating and Cooling Experience • 8:00 - 10:00 AM CST – Yankton Vermillion Sioux City Poster session social and = Southeast South Dakota’s #1 Choice! 605.665.4348 605.624.5618 712.252.2000 registration kalinsindoor.com • 10:00 – Welcome • 10:15 – Research and program updates • 12:00 – Lunch and keynote speaker (TBD) • 1:30 – Research and program updates • 3:00 – Closing and tours of SDSU beef research facilities • Register at the SDSU When You Want Comfort...You Want Kalins Get A Pre-Winter Inspection Find What You’re Looking For! A small repair can turn into • No Obligation Inspection & Estimate a huge problem in winter. • Insurance Preferred Contractor www.missourivalleyshopper.com Mark’s Machinery Year-End Sale PRE-SELL & END - OF - YEAR DISCOUNTS ON ALL EQUIPMENT! * SAVE $$$ - Beat 2020 Price Increases * Great Selection Of SD - DOT Lease Return Tractors - 125 - 200 HP Save $$ - Big Discounts *December Deals* • “LOCK IN” SUPER FINANCING ON NEW AND USED EQUIPMENT • LO-RATE FINANCING & WAIVERS • SUPER LO-RATE LEASE PLANS! • GREAT PRICES ON LEASE RETURN, DEMONSTRATOR, AND RENTAL TRACTORS - ALL SIZES! SAVE TIME! SAVE $$$ PRE-SEASON INSPECTION PROGRAM TRACTORS COMBINES PLANTERS HAY EQUIPMENT • Family Owned/Locally Operated “We’ve Got You Covered” in the Classifieds. In Print and Online! Call 665-5884 Yankton Community Library will begin its second annual Winter Reading Program that runs through Feb. 29. Children will read or be read to and will count their reading time through Feb. 29. For every 30 minutes of reading logged, the child will receive a sticker to add to our mosaic at the library. Adults and students in sixth grade and up will track the number of books they read. For each book they read and log, they will receive 1 sticker to add to the mosaic. Everyone’s reading will build a beautiful mosaic that will brighten the library. You may register on the library’s Beanstack reading site at http://cityofyankton.beanstack.org where you will log your reading time. If you already set up a Beanstack account during summer reading, you can use that same log-in information but should go into your account and choose to participate in the Winter Reading Program. After registering, stop by the circulation desk at the library and pick up your instructions and paper log. The paper logs will be helpful in keeping track of your reading time until you have a chance to log it online. If you don’t have internet access, the library staff can help you log your minutes at the library. All participants in the Winter Reading Program will be invited to the Cocoa and Cookies party on March 1. For questions, call the library at 605-668-5275 or email library@cityofyankton.org. 1600 Whiting Dr., Yankton, SD Licensed/Bonded/Insured (605)857-1472 Dealer Name Address • Phone Yankton, SD: (605)665-4540 • (800)526-8095 Wagner, SD: (605)384-3681 • (800)693-1990 Or visit us at: www.marksinc.com One Tough AnimalTM www.bobcat.com