[obol] Re: Birding by Public Transportation

[Joseph Blowers]

I routinely bicycle to the closest MAX station to catch the train to  
Hillsboro.  From there it's only a couple of miles to excellent  
birding at Jackson Bottom Wetlands.  I've done something similar,  
although much less frequently, to Fern Hill Wetlands in Forest  
Grove.  These outings do double duty as birding expeditions and  
exercise sessions.  I even chose my compact Nikon spotting scope with  
this kind of birding in mind (It fits into my fanny pack).  The main  
problem is time.  Americans seem addicted to cramming as much as  
possible into a day, one possible reason that the vast majority of  
birders use their cars.  Besides being a bit hypocritical (helping to  
increase global warming while watching birds that depend on a stable  
climate), this practice limits birding to those who have enough  
disposable income to be able to afford a car.

I agree that our birding trails should reflect awareness of other  
means of transportation. Two possible iterations are birding by  
bicycle and birding by Tri-met (and other local mass transit agencies).

Joe Blowers
Beaverton, OR