[obol] Birding in Circles

[Jeff Harding]

I want to be sure Oregon birders know about a new possibility for bird
listing in 2008, announced in the latest issue Oregon Birds (vol. 33:2,
listing insert).  
 
Beginning on January 1, 2008, birders in Oregon are invited to take a new
approach to the listing of bird species, and, at the end of the year, to
report their results for publication in an issue of Oregon Birds.  We are
adding a new category to our traditional 'state' and 'county' year and life
lists: "circle" birding.  Each interested birder will select a limited area,
a circle with a diameter of (up to) approximately 15 miles.  Each birder may
list all bird species he or she observes within that circle during 2008,
following the usual ABA listing rules.  The smaller scale of the listing
"territory" will make it possible to bird the area without the need for as
much car driving as is generally done with the other two categories of
listing.  The allowed diameter of 15 miles still ensures that the circles
will be large enough to provide some diversity of habitats.  With this
approach, feeder watching, driving to the supermarket, walking the dog,
jogging or biking for exercise, riding public transportation, etc., all have
potential to become also occasions for birding and listing, so long as one
is in the circle.  
 
 Results for listing in 2008 will be requested at the end of the year for
publication in Oregon Birds.  Note: each birder's "life list" for a circle
will be defined as the total of the birder's first year of birding that
circle plus all species seen in subsequent years which were missed the first
year.  For that reason, "life list" totals will not be published until after
the second year of circle listing.
 
 The 15 mile diameter limit for the new circles corresponds to the size of
our Christmas Bird Count circles, so birders may simply opt to use a CBC
circle for the year circle list.  Or, birders may select a circle best
suited for birding from home.  Several birders living in the same general
area might get together to design circles that offer large areas of overlap
with each other.  The possibilities are up to you.  The goals, as always,
include enjoying our birding and bird listing, and sharing our successes and
searches with others.  We believe these goals can be pursued, along with the
goal of reducing our use of automobiles, by giving at least a share of our
birding year to circle birding.  

 

I wish you all the best for 2008 - good birding, peace and happiness!
 

Jeff Harding

Editor, Oregon Birds

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