Community News

Jeremy Wainwright, far right, joins other missionaries from East Tennessee in Honduras. (Contributed photo)

By Richard Rourk

A local man is looking to make a lasting difference for strangers in a foreign land.

Unicoi County native Jeremy Wainwright recently sat down with The Erwin Record to discuss his mission work in Honduras.

“In October of last year I went to Honduras for the first time and I served in an area outside the capital city that had high levels of poverty,” Wainwright said. “When I returned to the U.S. I started praying and thinking of ways to help those people in poverty. Many people visit developing nations on mission trips and bring many things to help.”

For Wainwright, the problem is this can hurt as much as it can help.

“The resources run out at some point and many people develop dependency issues because they have not been provided with something that is sustainable and ongoing,” Wainwright said. “Earlier this year, I contacted Honduras local, Agustín Garcia, about starting a tilapia farm to provide a sustainable means of help for the people of Honduras. Through some research and lots of prayer, we decided that a shrimp farm would be more productive.”

According to Wainwright, things moved quickly once Agustin joined the cause.

“We found some property with two ponds that would allow us to raise 200,000 shrimp larvae,” Wainwright said. “The property is in a place called Amapala, Honduras. Amapala is about three hours from Tegucigalpa, which is where Agustín lives. However, he has family that lives in Amapala who are helping us oversee things on a regular basis.”

Wainwright acknowledged that due to the generosity of many, the shrimp farm began to take shape.

“We received the funding to start the process and just days before we were to lease the land, we found out about an even better opportunity,” Wainwright said. “We talked to a man named Ismael Cruz; he has been farming shrimp for 20 years and he has so much experience in shrimp farming, as well as many clients that buy from him each harvest. It was an easy decision to make to lease from him instead of starting on our own. He agreed to lease us one pond on his property.”

Wainwright said that one pond is five acres and much larger than the two ponds the group was originally going to lease.

“We have 650,000 larvae in this pond, more than three times what we were going to have at the original property we were going to lease,” Wainwright said. “The larvae were stocked in the pond on Oct. 4. and I went there on Oct. 22.”

According to Wainwright, the process is exciting to watch.

“It is amazing how fast they grow,” Wainwright said. “Agustín’s cousin Dorian will be helping us as well and he knows the science behind the process, just as Ismael (Cruz) knows the business part of the process. We have a very knowledgeable team and we also have hired one man to feed the shrimp and do maintenance on the ponds, and one man to guard the ponds at night.”

Wainwright acknowledged that the harvest will take place soon.

“We plan to harvest in early January; a cycle takes between 90-100 days from stocking in the ponds until harvest,” Wainwright said. “We plan to sell many of the shrimp onsite at the shrimp farm and we also plan to sell many hundreds of pounds in the city of Tegucigalpa.”

According to Wainwright, you can get about one-third more for the shrimp in the city.

“We plan to have around 9,000 pounds from the harvest; this should yield the reinvestment cost of $8,617 for the next four-month cycle, plus $11,500.”

Wainwright and company plan to build sustainable housing with the money acquired from the shrimp sales.

“With the $11,500 we plan to build homes, provide clean water and feed those in poverty,” Wainwright said.

According to Wainwright, providing clean water is a challenge.

“As far as clean water, we were looking to dig wells for water, but they are very expensive in Honduras (as high as $15,000,) and we did find a water filtration system that costs $100,” Wainwright said. “The filter can last up to five years.”

The water filter is a simple process.

“You just pour any water collected from rain in the top bucket, and it will run through the filter and have clean water in the bottom bucket. We plan to purchase many of these with the funds from the shrimp farm,” Wainwright said. “We also plan to build a feeding shelter in the future as well.

“We are funded for the first cycle, but we are still raising funds to help the shrimp farm be even more successful in the future. We are looking at machines that will peel the shrimp. At this point, we will be selling them whole, but if we have a fast way to process them, we could sell for a much higher price per pound.”

For Wainwright and company the current success is the first step of the plan.

“We also have a long-term goal to raise enough funding to buy our own property one day in the future, instead of leasing it,” Wainwright said. “We were able to buy 650,000 larvae with the funds raised for this cycle and if we raise more funds, we will be able to buy even more larvae the next cycle. I have been going to Honduras at least once a year (usually in October), to see the progress and also to serve with a mission team. But I may go even more frequently as this project grows.”

According to Wainwright, any donation helps the long term success of this farm.

“I would like to thank God for providing every resource we needed to get started,” Wainwright said. “Through Him all things are possible. I also want to thank North Ridge Community Church and my local community of Erwin for being so supportive and generous.”

If anyone is interested in donating or want to have a conversation about any further details, they can contact Wainwright at 388-9356 or email him at [email protected]

Along with donations, Wainwright is asking for prayers.

“I ask for prayers that many lives will be changed by this project,” Wainwright said.

The European robin is a common garden bird in Great Britain and other countries in Europe. The American robin was given its common name when early English colonists were reminded of their own robin back in the Old World. (Photo by Andrew Poynton/Pixabay.com)

By Bryan Stevens

I received emails recently from Terry Fletcher, who lives on Vance Drive in Bristol, and Ernie Marburg from Abingdon, Virginia. Both emails involved flocks of birds, including American robins and cedar waxwings.

The past two days the robins have been going crazy in my small yard,” Terry wrote. “I live in a woodland area off Vance Drive.”

Terry described a flock of at least 40 robins passing through the relatively small yard. “They were also darting back and forth among the trees,” Terry wrote. “Any thoughts about this flurry of activity? 

Ernie Marburg also sent me an email with a query about robins and waxwings.

“I haven’t had much to report recently, but yesterday and today I had large flocks of migrating birds,” Ernie noted. “Yesterday’s flock of cedar waxwings was extremely large.”

Ernie estimated the flock consisted of 400 to 500 individuals. He added that the flock rested for a time in his neighbor’s large oak trees and then went on its way.

“The flock today was less exciting for me, but somewhat even larger than the waxwings,” Ernie noted. The second flock consisted mostly of European starlings with a few American robins in the mix.

Ernie observed the starlings in some neighboring dogwoods as they consumed red berries. His question involved the migration habits of the starlings, waxwings and robins.

The fact is that, although we don’t think of robins very much in winter, they are still very much present in the region. The same is true of waxwings and is particularly true about starlings.

Terry’s wooded area sounds perfect for robins in winter. In the colder months of the year, robins form large, loosely organized flocks, often taking up residence in wooded lots. Ernie’s neighborhood also sounds like a perfect haven for these flocking birds.

The activity observed by Terry is just the way robins behave at times. The activity could have been an example of the birds sensing the approach of a weather front. The robins, reacting to changing conditions, were simply attempting to feed as much as they could before a change in the weather. arrived.

The American robin is a large bird in the thrush family, which in North America also includes such birds as Eastern bluebird, wood thrush, and Townsend’s solitaire.

In the British Isles, the European robin is simply known as “robin” or “robin redbreast.” When the first English colonists arrived in New England and other parts of colonial-era North America, they took pleasure in finding that some of the birdlife in the New World resembled familiar birds from their homeland. The red-breasted American robin looked like the bird they knew in the Old World as “robin,” which motivated them to name the New World bird “robin,” as well.

Other than the red breast, however, the two robins are not all that similar. The American robin is the larger of the two birds. Farther separating these two birds is the fact that the European robin is not a thrush but rather a member of the family of Old World flycatchers.

In some ways, the two robins are similar. Both are fond of earthworms, spending a great deal of their time on the ground foraging for worms. They will also follow human gardeners at their work, waiting patiently for the followed person to disturb the soil with a spade or hoe and expose earthworms for the waiting bird. They are also rather tolerant of humans and have learned to make their own homes close to human dwellings.

Some of the British transplants to North America must have felt homesick for familiar things because several unsuccessful attempts were made to introduce the European robin to the United States and Canada. European robins introduced in New York and Oregon failed to gain a foothold, unlike the introduction of such alien birds as the house sparrow and European starling.

On a few occasions, our American robins have overflown their destinations and ended up in the United Kingdom. For instance, an American robin became a first for London birdwatchers when one was found in that nation’s capital city in March of 2006. Whether of the European or American persuasion, robins have long been a favorite of birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.

A male wild turkey struts his stuff in a woodland clearing. In New England, where turkeys featured on the menu at the First Thanksgiving, restored turkeys are creating some headaches now that the predators capable of keeping them in check have been removed from the ecosystem. (Photo by Avia5/Pixabay.com)

By Bryan Stevens

Celebrated in William Bradford’s written account of the First Thanksgiving in 1621, the wild turkey had all but vanished from Massachusetts and the rest of New England a mere two centuries later. By the time of Henry David Thoreau, who is arguably America’s first environmentalist, the noted author lamented in 1856 that the turkey and other wildlife were difficult to find in his native Massachusetts.

In a journal entry from the spring of 1856, Thoreau decried the part the descendants of those Pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving more than 200 years earlier had played in the decimation.

“When I consider that the nobler animals have been exterminated here — the cougar, the panther, lynx, wolverine, wolf, bear, moose, dear, the beaver, the turkey and so forth and so forth, I cannot but feel as if I lived in a tamed and, as it were, emasculated country,” Thoreau wrote in his journal. “Is it not a maimed and imperfect nature I am conversing with?”

Perhaps, but Thoreau would probably be encouraged that many of the animals he mentioned in his journal have now recovered and once again roam throughout New England. The wild turkey has been in the vanguard of that resurgence. In fact, the revival of the wild turkey’s fortunes in New England has had unintended consequences. In short, this venerable fowl has run amok in some parts of its former stronghold.

An article by Brianna Abbott for the Audubon Society’s website estimates that before Europeans first colonized New England in the 1600s, as many as 10 million wild turkeys roamed from Maine to Florida to the Rocky Mountains of the American West.

Today, wild turkeys are back with a vengeance. Turkeys may have grievances, it turns out, for the persecution they suffered at the hands of Americans for the past few centuries. Touted as a major restoration success story, the wild turkey began to be reintroduced to New England about half a century ago.

Now that they’re back, turkeys are part of a dramatically changed landscape. Suburbs now stretch in wide swaths of terrain that once supported forests and associated wildlife. Luckily — for the turkey, anyway — it is a very adaptable bird. Turkeys have taken to life in the suburbs with such enthusiasm that they are now a wildlife management issue for the human residents who must share living space with them. Emboldened problem turkeys chase and intimidate women and small children, as well as pets. Whole flocks have gone rogue.

Gone are the turkey’s natural predators — lynxes, cougars and wolves  — that had kept America’s premier game bird’s population in balance. As Thoreau pointed out, nature is no longer perfect. More than 170,000 wild turkeys now live in New England and they’re not always at peace with their human neighbors.

Thoreau didn’t have the benefit of environmental science to back him up, but he would probably not be surprised that a “maimed” nature is causing some unexpected problems even as some of the animals he so sorely missed are returning to their former haunts.

The Tennessee Watchable Wildlife Website notes that the wild turkey was once nearly eliminated from the Volunteer State. By the early 1900s, over-hunting eliminated this species from most of its range, including much of Tennessee. Modern wildlife management has reestablished this bird throughout its historic range and into 49 of the 50 United States.

According to the website, the natural habitat for the wild turkey consists of mature woodlands with scattered openings or fields. In such areas, turkeys can forage for food such as acorns and other wild nuts, seeds, fruits, insects, buds, fern fronds and even the occasional salamander.

Wild turkeys roam the woods around my home, and I know of other areas that are dependable locations for observing these birds. While their numbers are increasing, the wild turkey has not yet turned the tables. For the foreseeable future, I suspect Americans will continue to dine on turkey every Thanksgiving, and not the other way around.

Who could blame them, however, if turkeys were to feel perfectly justified in biting back at the American public? We’ve not always been the best stewards for our native wildlife. Call me an optimist. I believe turkeys and people can co-exist. As residents in New England have learned, we just have to be prepared for some give and take.

The cast of “Grandma’s Last Christmas” rehearses a scene from the original play. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Richard Rourk)

By Richard Rourk

A very special presentation coming to Clinchfield Senior Adult Center will help get the community in the holiday spirit.

“Grandma’s Last Christmas,” which will be performed at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, is an original production of music, comedy and surprises written and directed by Barbara Desso.

According to Desso, the idea to perform a Christmas play to raise money for the Clinchfield Senior Adult Center was one she has had for a while now.

“I started writing the show in August,” Desso said. “I wanted to do some kind of a fundraiser for the Clinchfield Senior Adult Center and writing is one of my favorite things to do, so it just came together,” Desso said.

Desso said that the production will provide something for everyone.

“I am very pleased to have several students from Unicoi High School, Temple Hill Elementary, Mars Hill Elementary, homeschooled children, local residents and members of the Clinchfield Senior Adult Center involved,” Desso said. “There will be take-home surprises for the audience courtesy of local businesses and anonymous donations.”

According to Desso, tickets are $10 and can be purchased Monday through Friday at the Clinchfield Senior Adult Center from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.

“There is limited seating so we encourage those wishing to attend to make an early purchase,” Desso said.

The cover of the 2020 calendar produced by the Lee and Lois Herndon Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society features a photo of a male scarlet tanager, a bird known for foraging for summer fruits such as cherries and mulberries. To order a calendar, email [email protected] (Contributed photo)

By Bryan Stevens

Watching a chickadee or a nuthatch feed on sunflower seeds at your feeders can be entertaining, but it’s a little misleading to think that the “grab-and-go” method utilized at feeders is the way most birds forage for food. In fact, birds employ a wide array of some rather ingenious methods for making sure they don’t go hungry.

I was reminded of this fact on a recent chilly morning when I observed a flock of black vultures gathered on a neighbor’s lawn. The large, gregarious birds looked slightly out of place considering the neatly trimmed grass and other landscaped features. After watching them for a short time, I noticed that the birds’ attention seemed to be focused on something in a roadside ditch. Sure enough, some roadkill — a mammal of some sort — worked as a lure to draw the dozen or so large birds to the lawn.

Vultures are well-known eaters of carrion, and the region’s two species — turkey vulture and black vulture — are part of nature’s sanitation crew. We might think we could do without their services, but I suspect we would miss their contribution if vultures disappeared from the environment.

Every type of bird fills a specific niche. Some warblers glean caterpillars and other small insects from the undersides of leaves. The belted kingfisher takes its meals from the schools of small fish in streams, creeks and ponds. The pileated woodpecker gouges huge holes into the bark of a tree with its chisel-like bill in pursuit of burrowing insect larvae.

The nation’s official bird, the bald eagle, spends a lot of its food-gathering efforts on catching fish and the occasional duck or coot. In common with the vultures, however, the bald eagle is not at all finicky about scavenging for an occasional meal.

The Eastern phoebe spends much of the warm months devoted to favorite perches. From these vantage points, a phoebe can sally forth and snatch flying insects, demonstrating why it belongs in a family of birds known as the flycatchers.

In the winter season, however, the phoebe gives up this foraging behavior and gleans berries and other available food. The phoebe will even eat the berries of poison ivy without suffering any ill effects.

Other birds, but not actual hawks, practice “hawking,” which is simply catching flying insects in their beaks and consuming the prey while still in flight. Birds that hawk for their meals include swifts, nighthawks and swallows.

Most hawks are ambush predators. Some raptors pick an elevated perch to survey a hunting territory while others may soar far overhead. When the perched raptor — or even one that is soaring — spies potential prey, it can swoop onto the victim often before the creature recognizes the danger.

Group’s 2020 Bird Calendar on Sale

The Lee & Lois Herndon Chapter of Tennessee Ornithological Society is selling its 2020 calendar for $15 each. All proceeds are used to support birding opportunities and bird-related causes in Northeast Tennessee.

The calendar’s pages feature more than 80 full-color photographs of area birds taken by club members, including common favorites and some not-so-common visitors.

The front cover features a stunning photograph of a vibrant male scarlet tanager.

The chapter has produced a yearly calendar since 2011. Other birds featured on past covers have included white-breasted nuthatch, rose-breasted grosbeak, prairie warbler, Blackburnian warbler, Canada warbler, Cape May warbler and chestnut-backed chickadee.

If you’re interested in obtaining a calendar, contact [email protected] by email or send a message via Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/ahoodedwarbler.

Calendars can be mailed to any destination in the United States for an additional charge of $2 for shipping and postage.

Town of Unicoi Mayor Johnny Lynch stands with Joshua Tilson and veteran Hazel Berry during an event in the Town of Unicoi. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Richard Rourk)

By Richard Rourk

Locals took time to remember our veterans over the holiday weekend.

The Clinchfield Senior Adult Center teamed up with Caris Healthcare to kick off the Veterans Day festivities on Friday, Nov. 8, with a lunch and presentation for area veterans. According to Clinchfield Senior Adult Center representative Charlene O’Dell, there were roughly 45 visitors for the Clinchfield Senior Adult Center Veteran’s Day Lunch.

“We handed out 19 certificates to veterans that attended,” O’Dell said. “We had a full lunch with a very special dessert.”

According to O’Dell, former Town of Erwin Mayor Russell Brackins was on hand to welcome all of the guests. Dot Gardner, Sam Dalton and Ginger Dalton provided the musical entertainment.

The Town of Unicoi hosted its annual Veterans Day Lunch on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., in the Buffalo Conference Room. According to Town of Unicoi History Committee member Pat Lynch, the Town of Unicoi hosted more than 50 veterans and more than 100 attendees in all on Saturday.

“We are very pleased with our turnout,” Lynch said.

The meal consisted of handmade sandwiches and desserts and plenty of finger foods. According to Lynch, this was a joint venture between the Town of Unicoi History Committee and the Town of Unicoi.

Closing out the Veterans Day events, the Town of Erwin held its annual Veterans Day program. The Unicoi County High School AFJROTC presented the colors and Veterans Memorial Committee Chairman Bill Hensley welcomed the crowd to the Unicoi County Veterans Memorial Park next to Gentry Stadium. Hensley then handed the program over to Reverend Craig Shelton, who led the invocation and Allan Foster sang the National Anthem.

American Legion Post 25 Commander Ray Tipton presented the POW/MIA ceremony for those that have not returned.

“This is a ceremony for those that have not come back yet,” Hensley said.

According to Tipton, the sacrifices of veterans are reminders of the high price of freedom. “Those who have served and continue to serve are ever mindful of the sweetness of enduring peace that has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice,” Tipton said.

The guests then heard from a very special guest speaker, Jim Buchanan, who explained the history of Veterans Day.

“The treaty signed to end World War I, which was signed in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, is often regarded as the day that ended all wars,” Buchanan said. “The original concept was to gather for parades in remembrance and suspension of business to start at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.”

The attendees were treated to treats, refreshment and fellowship following the program.

The Erwin Record joins the municipalities and organizations of Unicoi County in thanking all of our veterans for their service.

The recent Fall Bird Count conducted by the Elizabethton Bird Club tallied three Ruffed Grouse during a survey that found a total of 118 species of birds. (Photo by LisaTaylorPhoto/Pixabay.com)

By Bryan Stevens

The 50th consecutive Elizabethton Fall Bird Count was held on Saturday, Oct. 5, with 29 observers in eight parties. Participants tallied 118 species, which is below the recent 30-year average of 125 species. Windy conditions throughout the day and dense fog on the higher mountain tops contributed to the reduced variety.  The all-time high on this count was 137 species in 1993.

The yearly survey is not limited to Carter County and Elizabethton. The long-running count includes parts of the adjacent counties of Unicoi, as well as Johnson, Sullivan and Washington.

The total follows:

Canada Goose, 635; Wood Duck, 97; Mallard,173; Blue-winged Teal, 30; and Green-winged Teal, 3; Ruffed Grouse, 3; Wild Turkey, 56; Common Loon, 1; Pied-billed Grebe, 7; Double-crested Cormorant, 10; and Great Blue Heron, 35.

Black Vulture, 78; Turkey Vulture, 139; Osprey, 7; Northern Harrier, 3; Sharp-shinned Hawk, 2; Cooper’s Hawk, 9; Bald Eagle, 12; Red-shouldered Hawk, 5; Broad-winged Hawk, 2; and Red-tailed Hawk, 13.

Killdeer, 35; Spotted Sandpiper, 1; Lesser Yellowlegs, 1; Ring-billed Gull, 1; Rock Pigeon, 402; Eurasian Collared-Dove, 1; Mourning Dove, 153; and Yellow-billed Cuckoo, 1.

Eastern Screech-Owl, 10; Great Horned Owl, 5; Barred Owl, 2; Chimney Swift, 244; Ruby-throated Hummingbird, 7; and Belted Kingfisher, 24.

Red-headed Woodpecker, 2; Red-bellied Woodpecker, 50; Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 7; Downy Woodpecker, 36; Hairy Woodpecker, 6; Northern Flicker, 41; and Pileated Woodpecker, 17.

American Kestrel, 16; Merlin, 2; Peregrine Falcon, 1; Eastern Wood-Pewee, 12; Least Flycatcher; 1; and Eastern Phoebe, 82.

Yellow-throated Vireo, 1; Blue-headed Vireo, 18; Philadelphia Vireo, 1; Red-eyed Vireo, 7; Blue Jay, 347; American Crow, 442; and Common Raven, 10.

Tree Swallow, 118; Carolina Chickadee,141; Tufted Titmouse, 82; Red-breasted Nuthatch, 6; White-breasted Nuthatch, 28; Brown Creeper; 1; Winter Wren, 2; Marsh Wren, 1; and Carolina Wren, 114.

Golden-crowned Kinglet, 5; Ruby-crowned Kinglet, 1; Eastern Bluebird, 114; Veery, 1; Gray-cheeked Thrush, 6; Swainson’s Thrush, 37; Wood Thrush,15; American Robin, 212; Gray Catbird, 23; Brown Thrasher, 9; Northern Mockingbird, 56; Eurasian Starling, 555; and Cedar Waxwing, 70.

Ovenbird, 3; Northern Waterthrush, 3; Black-and-white Warbler, 4; Tennessee Warbler, 51; Kentucky Warbler, 1; Common Yellowthroat, 6; Hooded Warbler, 3; American Redstart, 7; Cape May Warbler, 1; Northern Parula, 4; Magnolia Warbler  6; Bay-breasted Warbler, 36; Blackburnian Warbler, 4; Chestnut-sided Warbler, 4; Blackpoll Warbler, 4; Black-throated Blue Warbler, 8; Palm Warbler, 56; Pine Warbler, 3; Yellow-rumped Warbler, 4; Yellow-throated Warbler, 2; and Black-throated Green Warbler, 7.

Eastern Towhee, 53; Chipping Sparrow, 46; Field Sparrow, 11; Savannah Sparrow,  2; Song Sparrow, 126; Swamp Sparrow, 4; and Dark-eyed Junco, 73.

Scarlet Tanager, 5; Northern Cardinal, 120; Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 67; Blue Grosbeak, 1; and Indigo Bunting, 27.

Red-winged Blackbird, 194; Eastern Meadowlark, 14; Common Grackle, 1; Brown-headed Cowbird, 11; House Finch,  36; Pine Siskin, 8; American Goldfinch, 99; House Sparrow, 19.

Long-time count compiler Rick Knight spotlighted some notable misses, including Green Heron, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, White-eyed Vireo, Barn Swallow, House Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Hermit Thrush, Prairie Warbler, Lincoln’s Sparrow and Red Crossbill.

“The crossbills were missed because Roan Mountain was completely socked in with fog all day,” Knight explained.

He added that only a few shorebirds were found partly due to shortage of habitat as well as the drought in the region at the time of the count.

Linda Mathes, far left, discusses fundraising with other members of the Friends of Unicoi County Animal Shelter group during a recent meeting. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Richard Rourk)

By Richard Rourk

The Friends of Unicoi County Animal Shelter and the Unicoi County Animal Shelter have been hard at work getting funds to keep the shelter going.

During the Oct. 22 Friends of the Unicoi County Animal Shelter meeting, Linda Mathes updated the group on the total amount of money raised through numerous fundraising ventures.

The largest amount of funding has come from a booth that the animal shelter had at the recent Apple Festival. Selling various stickers, T-shirts and other items, $1,969.22 was raised for the shelter.

The next largest amount raised was from the annual garage sale that is hosted at Mathes’ house. More than $1,611.04 was raised during this year’s garage sale, which always takes place in the fall.

According to Mathes, The Second Annual Spay-ghetti Dinner, which was held this year at the Clinchfield Senior Adult Center in Erwin, raised $1,101.22 for the shelter. The spaghetti, salad and breadsticks were donated by Olive Garden, and the drinks were donated by Food City and Food Lion of Erwin.

“This dinner was again successful,” Mathes said during the meeting. “We sold out of every ticket.”

First Friday events in Downtown Erwin presented by What’s the Scoop, Erwin Outdoor Supply and Union Street Taproom brought in more than $498 for the Unicoi County Animal Shelter.

The Friends of the Unicoi County Animal Shelter had a booth at the Strawberry Festival, which brought in $586, and a booth at the Great Outdoor Festival, which brought in $302.61 to help the shelter. Masterpiece Mixers hosted a Friends of the Unicoi County Animal Shelter night that raised $120 dollars for the shelter. During this year’s Fiddlers and Fiddleheads Festival, the Friends of the Unicoi County Animal Shelter raised $39.97.

Mathes also announced that Friends of the Unicoi County Animal Shelter raised $6,228.06 for the Unicoi County Animal Shelter.

“We have worked hard to raise what we could for the shelter,” Mathes said.

Other fundraising events brought the total number of funds raised for the Unicoi County Animal Shelter this year up to $8,262.06.

Chili’s, located at 3040 Franklin Terrace, in Johnson City, raised more than $1,478 for the Unicoi County Animal Shelter with it’s monthly “Good Eats for a Good Cause” campaign. Chili’s donates 20 percent of each ticket to the Unicoi County Animal Shelter one day out of the month.

The shelter received a donation from Zombie Cats T-Shirt Company for $457 and raised $99 at this years Fun Fest.

According to Mathes, the shelter could always use more donations and supplies such as kitty litter both clumping and non-clumping and food for both dogs and cats, as well as cleaning supplies.

“As the weather gets colder, fleece blankets are always welcome at the shelter,” Mathes said.

If you are interested in donating items, or for more updates on future fundraisers, please follow the Unicoi County Animal Shelter on Facebook.

The dark-eyed junco is a fairly common winter resident in the region. Rather widespread, different races of the dark-eyed junco are found throughout the North American continent. (Photo by Skeeze/Pixabay.com)

By Bryan Stevens

I wrote my first bird column on Sunday, Nov. 5, 1995, which means this weekly column will mark its 24th anniversary this week. This column has appeared over the last 20 years in a total of six different newspapers, which I regard as a personal achievement as well as an accomplishment for our feathered friends. It’s on their behalf that I pen these weekly efforts to promote conservation and goodwill toward all birds.

I’ve played detective, helping people identify everything from “rain crows,” or cuckoos, to Muscovy ducks and double-crested cormorants. I’ve observed unusual birds, including white pelican, brant and roseate spoonbill, in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia and spotlighted them in these columns. I still take delight in the kaleidoscopic parade of colorful warblers that pass through the region each spring and fall as well as the fast-paced duel of ruby-throated hummingbirds. I also offer sunflower seeds and other supplemental food for the resident birds like Carolina chickadees and white-breasted nuthatches. My first column focused on a common visitor to yards and feeders during the winter months. In fact, dark-eyed juncos should be returning to the region any day. Here, with some revisions I have made through the years, is that first column.

•••

Of all the birds associated with winter weather, few are as symbolic as the dark-eyed junco, or “snow bird.” The junco occurs in several geographic variations.

John V. Dennis, author of “A Complete Guide to Bird Feeding,” captures the essence of the junco in the following description: “Driving winds and swirling snow do not daunt this plucky bird. The coldest winter days see the junco as lively as ever and with a joie de vivre that bolsters our sagging spirits.” The dark-eyed junco’s scientific name, hyemalis, is New Latin for “wintry,” an apt description of this bird.

Most people look forward to the spring return of some of our brilliant birds — warblers, tanagers and orioles — and I must admit that I also enjoy the arrival of these birds. The junco, in comparison to some of these species, is not in the same league. Nevertheless, the junco is handsome in its slate gray and white plumage, giving rise to the old saying “dark skies above, snow below.”

Just as neotropical migrants make long distance journeys twice a year, the junco is also a migrating species. But in Appalachia, the junco is a special type of migrant. Most people think of birds as “going south for the winter.” In a basic sense this is true. But some juncos do not undertake a long horizontal (the scientific term) migration from north to south.

Instead, these birds merely move from high elevations, such as the spruce fir peaks, to the lower elevations. This type of migration is known as vertical migration. Other juncos, such as those that spend their breeding season in northern locales, do make a southern migration and, at times, even mix with the vertical migrants.

During the summer months, a visit to higher elevations in southwest Virginia such as Whitetop Mountain or Mount Rogers is almost sure to produce sightings of dark-eyed juncos. Juncos may nest as many as three times in a season. A female junco usually lays three to six eggs for each nest, which she constructs without any assistance from her mate.

Juncos are usually in residence around my home by early November. Once they make themselves at home I can expect to play host to them until at least late April or early May of the following year. So, for at least six months, the snow bird is one of the most common and delightful feeder visitors a bird enthusiast could want.

Juncos flock to feeders where they are rather mild-mannered — except among themselves. There are definite pecking orders in a junco flock, and females are usually on the lower tiers of the hierarchy. Females can sometimes be distinguished from males because of their paler gray or even brown upper plumage.

Since juncos are primarily ground feeders they tend to shun hanging feeders. But one winter I observed a junco that had mastered perching on a hanging “pine cone” feeder to enjoy a suet and peanut butter mixture.

Dark-eyed juncos often are content to glean the scraps other birds knock to the ground. Juncos are widespread. They visit feeders across North America. The junco is the most common species of bird to visit feeding stations. They will sample a variety of fare, but prefer such seeds as millet, cracked corn or black oil sunflower.

There’s something about winter that makes a junco’s dark and light garb an appropriate and even striking choice, particularly against a backdrop of newly fallen snow.

Of course, the real entertainment from juncos comes from their frequent visits to our backyard feeders. When these birds flock to a feeder and began a furious period of eating, I don’t even have to glance skyward or tune in the television weather forecast. I know what they know. Bad weather is on the way!

Food City presents Unicoi County Church of God with a check to help with Second Harvest Food Bank. From left, Food City representative Kayla Salmons, Food City Manager Jacob Ratliff, Food City representative Austin Hensley, Unicoi County Church of God representative Eddie Blazer, Food City Representative Adam Carter and Food City representative Jeff Lucas. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Richard Rourk)

By Richard Rourk

The Food City store, located at 110 N. Industrial Drive in Erwin, recently sent a donation of more than $1,000 to Second Harvest Food Bank.

Store Manager Jacob Ratliff presented a check for $1,241.00 to Eddie Blazer with Unicoi Church of God, which has been raising money and supplies for Second Harvest Food Bank for more than 15 years.

According to Blazer, the funding will help feed roughly 445 families monthly.

“We keep busy and donations like this helps,” Blazer said.

Blazer also acknowledged that this donation goes a long way.

“We are very thankful for this; it really helps,” Blazer said.

The funds were raised during Food City’s Race Against Hunger campaign. Ratliff acknowledged that the funds were received prior to the opening of the Food City Erwin location.

He said he hopes that more funds will be raised with the upcoming Race Against Hunger, which will start at the Erwin Food City on Nov. 13.

“We will actually start our campaign on the 13th, and we hope to have more funds to donate next year,” Ratliff said. “We try to get all the money raised in so they can spend it on food and supplies before the fourth quarter.”

Ratliff also reported that Food City will be looking to help out any way they can.

“We can see there is always work to be done to help out,” Ratliff said. “We are always looking at ways to partner with the community. We encourage our shoppers to pair their Food City card with Unicoi County Schools so they can receive funds from Food City.”

For Ratliff, a chance to help the community is a rewarding venture.

“We have settled in nicely and I’m starting to learn customers’ names,” Ratliff said. “This community welcomed us with open arms; it’s been really exciting.”

If you are interested in helping Unicoi County Church of God, you can visit the office during normal business hours to fill out an application.

If you are interested in keeping up with Food City, please follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

American crows — large, intelligent, all-black birds with hoarse, cawing voices — are familiar over much of the continent. Crows are common sights in treetops, fields and roadsides and in habitats ranging from open woods and empty beaches to town centers. (Photo by Peter Pearsall/USFWS)

By Bryan Stevens

While seeking birds far afield, I have occasionally spotted some innovative scarecrows standing sentry in gardens and agricultural fields. I’m not sure if anyone still erects these human effigies for their original purpose of warding off crows and other feathered agricultural pests. These days, scarecrows likely serve an ornamental purpose and are often part of a yard’s whimsical Halloween or autumn decorations.

Regardless of the intention behind them, scarecrows have never been effective at driving crows away from human fields and crops. To put it simply, crows are too smart to get spooked by the human invention of the scarecrow. The bird with one of the smartest brains among all birds is more than a match for the brainless friend of Dorothy standing vigil in the proverbial cornfield.

The intelligence of this bird has long been known. Early American naturalist William Bartram wrote about a crow named Tom in a highly entertaining essay titled “Anecdotes of an American Crow.” Bartram, who lived from 1739 to 1823, brought humorous observations and keen insight to his subject as he wrote about the joys — as well as tribulations — of living with Tom, a crow that enjoyed tormenting Bartram’s dog and purloining the writer’s spectacles and trying to hide them.

The essay demonstrates that almost as soon as Europeans arrived in North America, some of those with a bent toward the natural world recognized the intelligence and amazing adaptability of the American crow. As well as writing about the natural world, Bartram earned widespread acclaim for his drawings of botanical and ornithological subjects. Tom, the featured crow in Bartram’s brief essay, certainly exhibited intelligence of an impressive degree. Not only did the crow steal his owner’s eyeglasses, he foiled Bartram’s first attempt to reclaim them. The story makes very humorous reading. To read Bartram’s account, visit www.geocities.ws/jswortham/crow.

What else have crows done down through the ages to gain such a dark and much undeserved reputation? It probably doesn’t help matters that a flock of crows is known as a “murder.” Ancient Greeks considered crows as omens, which often foretold death and other disasters. The warrior goddess known as the Morrighan from Celtic mythology often appears in the form of a crow or raven. She is also often portrayed as being accompanied by a group of these black-plumaged birds. Many Native American tribes revere crows as communicators between worlds. Crows have been documented using tools and solving problems, which shows an uncanny ability to analyze and strategize. The early Celtic people also noted and admired these traits in crows.

Crows are very social birds, often forming family flocks. They may also form much larger flocks for the purpose of roosting. When nesting, this social behavior comes in useful for a mated pair. Offspring from previous successful nesting efforts often serve as helpers. In addition to gaining their own life experience on successful nesting and caring for chicks, these older siblings may protect the nest site from predators or even deliver food to fill hungry beaks and bellies.

While famous for their associations to humans and our agriculture, crows forage far beyond the cornfield for their food. Many crows scavenge road-killed wildlife, such as squirrels, opossums and rabbits. While they certainly don’t turn up their beaks at the notion of eating carrion, crows do so less often than birds such as turkey vultures, black vultures and the crow’s fellow corvid, the common raven.

The kinship to the raven is evident, but even moderately experienced birders rarely confuse these similar species. The raven is a large bird with a heavy beak, a distinctive profile and a wedge-shaped tail. In a direct comparison with a raven, a crow looks downright puny. Both are members of the corvid family, which consists of 120 species including jays, rooks, magpies and jackdaws. Some of the world’s other crows include the descriptively named little crow, hooded crow, carrion crow, collared crow, long-billed crow and violet crow. While most of the world’s crows are thriving, the Hawaiian crow, has been extinct in the wild since 2002, although the species still exists in captive-breeding programs in various zoos.

Thanks to its resourcefulness and intelligence, the crow is deserving of more respect and even admiration. The American crow is a uniquely American success story. Think more of Bartram’s story of Tom the crow and not the dark, misguided myths and legends about crows this Halloween. Long may the crows fly.

Lesia Willis demonstrates how to grind corn with an old-timey machine. (Erwin Record Staff Photo by Richard Rourk)

By Richard Rourk

The Town of Unicoi took a trip back in time last week.

Town officials joined the Unicoi History Group to host their annual Heritage Day and on Friday, Oct. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Bogart-Bowman Cabin. Local school children attended the event on Friday; the event was open to the general public on Saturday.

According to Town of Unicoi Communications and Programs Director Ashely Shelton, the event was a huge success.

“We had 258 students come through on Friday and more than 100 on Saturday,” Shelton said. “Although our numbers did not set our record, which is 300 in one day, 258 is one of the highest one day of attendance that we have seen since we started doing Heritage Day close to a decade ago.”

Shelton acknowledged that there were 13 vendors on Friday, and 12 vendors on Saturday. “Guests were able to tour exhibits that demonstrated blacksmith forging, beehive oven biscuit making, fireside apple butter cooking, quilting, corn shucking and so much more,” Shelton said. 

Heritage Day is designed to celebrate Southern Appalachian heritage and give visitors a glimpse into the daily life of settlers during the 1700-1800s. The students who attended Friday’s Heritage Day presentation were treated to a very special reading of the story of the Overmountain Men by the Overmountain Victory Trail Association.

Shelton said that the event was a hit among the youth of Unicoi County.

“The children loved it,” Shelton said. “I had one little boy come up and hug me and thank me, he was so excited; that child had a blast.”

According to Town of Unicoi Mayor Johnny Lynch, events like Heritage Day make the town unique.

“We are very proud of our town, and of events like this, that are both fun and educational,” Lynch said.

This was Shelton’s first Heritage Day experience.

“It was so neat. I’ve never been apart of anything like that; it was so much fun,” Shelton said. “There was such a sense of community among the vendors and demonstrators.”

Shelton acknowledged that Heritage Day could not happen if it wasn’t for the vendors and volunteers.

“We are so appreciative of all the volunteers. We had local high school students who volunteered on Friday, and we had community members volunteering on Saturday,” Shelton said. “We really appreciate the demonstrators as well. What makes this all possible is all of our great volunteers.”

The Town of Unicoi and the Town of Unicoi History Group will be focusing on the upcoming annual Veteran’s Day Lunch, which will be held on Nov. 9 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

For more information on upcoming events, please follow the Town of Unicoi on Facebook and on Youtube.

The barn owl’s heart-shaped face helps this bird, which is also known by such names as death owl, ghost owl, and hobgoblin owl, stand out from the other owls that share the domain of night. (Photo by jeanvdmeulen/Pixabay.com)

By Bryan Stevens

With common names such as cave owl, death owl, ghost owl, night owl and hobgoblin owl, the nocturnal hunter more widely known as the barn owl provides a fitting focus for exploration as the calendar counts down toward Halloween.

Barn owls lurk in the shadows of night, but most people would never know it unless they happen to hear some of the spine-tingling vocalizations produced by this poorly known predatory bird. Shiver-inducing shrieks and screams quite capable of piercing the veil of darkness are often produced by the barn owl. This owl doesn’t utter loud hoots like the great horned owl. Instead, the call of the barn owl is not likely one to be soon forgotten because of its raspy, nails-on-the-chalkboard nature. A hearer could easily be misled into misinterpreting the shrill vocalizations as originating from something far more ghoulish.

According to the website for the Owl Research Institute in Charlo, Montana, barn owls are the most widely distributed owl in the world, and they may be one of the most common, as well. In Montana, where ORI is located, barn owl observations are rather sparse. ORI has documented 12 barn owl nests and made numerous observations in the last 12 years, according to its website. Likewise, the barn owl is not too often observed in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

The barn owl is often associated with rural, agricultural areas, which is one reason they can often be found in old barns, sheds and farm silos. However, the first barn owl I ever saw in the wild was living beneath the eaves of a building on the campus of Mountain Home Veterans Administration in Johnson City, Tennessee, within walking distance of commercial buildings and the campus of East Tennessee State University.

The barn owl has no close relatives among the other owls found in the region. The barn owl is in its own unique family known as Tytonidae. The family name comes from a Greek word, Tuto, which translates as “night owl.”

Other owls in our region — great horned owl, barred owl, Eastern screech-owl, short-eared owl — belong to a family called Strigidae,  which are often described as “typical owls” by ornithologists and other experts.

The barn owl is one of nature’s most perfect predators. Among animals tested by scientists, the barn owl shows an almost uncanny ability to detect prey animals by sound alone. Prey, which is often small voles or other rodents, often doesn’t know of the danger until it’s too late. The structure of the barn owl’s wings and feathers is such that these predatory birds can fly through the darkness in almost perfect silence.

There’s a heavy cost that the owl must pay for these special adaptations. According to the Barn Owl Trust, an organization founded in 1988 in the United Kingdom to conserve one of the most beautiful birds on Earth, a barn owl’s specially adapted feathers are not particularly waterproof. In addition, barn owls are unable to store a lot of body fat. The Trust’s website notes that barn owls are unable to hunt in heavy rain and are particularly prone to starvation during prolonged periods of severe weather and/or prey shortage.

Much myth and legend have arisen around the world’s owls, including the barn owl. A native tribe in California known as the Newuks believed that warriors who proved courageous and virtuous became great horned owls after death. Men who practiced wicked ways, however, were thought to become barn owls.

This owl with the white heart-shaped face has long spooked humans. The bird’s head and upper body typically vary between pale brown and various shade of gray. Especially in flight, the barn owl can look rather pale.

The barn owl is the most widespread terrestrial bird species in the world, occurring on every continent except Antarctica. In addition to its various spooky common names, barn owls are also known by such descriptive monikers as monkey-faced owl, silver owl and golden owl. Some other common names include church owl and steeple owl. This owl acquired this name for its habit of utilizing steeples or bell towers in churches as roosting locations when barns or caves were lacking.

For a bird so closely associated with people and their dwellings and related structures, the barn owl remains an enigma to many. YouTube offers a variety of videos that showcase the creepy vocalizations of barn owls. Familiarize yourself with their calls, and you’ll be more likely to distinguish a barn owl calling after dark from the more sinister specters on the prowl this Halloween.

To learn more about barn owls or to make a contribution toward their conservation, visit www.barnowltrust.org.uk.