Subject: [Tweeters] My Green Big Year
Date: Jan 9 17:27:49 2006
From: Eugene and Nancy Hunn - enhunn323 at comcast.net


Tweets:

I open the year with this challenge to Tweeters:



Given our unfortunate dependence on foreign (and domestic) oil and the unconscionably large size of our human footprint, I would like to propose that we redefine our 2005 Washington Big Year goal by seeing how many species we can see in the state while expending a limited amount of fossil fuels.



I figure it should be possible to tally well over 300 species in the state in 2005 while driving less than 6000 miles and/or burning less than 240 gallons, averaging 500 miles and/or 20 gallons per month.



There are many possible routes any of which might offer the possibility of seeing virtually all regularly occuring Washington species within these energetic limits.



After several helpful comments from fellow Tweets, I refined the rules:



Mileage and fuel expenditures should be divided by the number of riders in the vehicle (even pelagic trips are included, based on 25 birders burning 120 gallons of diesel). Car pooling and using fuel efficient vehicles (my Subaru is just average at 27 mpg) offer a premium. Public transportation would be free! As would travel by foot, bicycle, canoe, or kayak. If one travels on business, one need only count the detours for birds, and if one combines a birding trip with a hike or other non-birding activity, one might split the miles between the trip goals. Perhaps some computer whiz could develop special software to do the calculations.



My score for 2005:



January 31, 144 species, 555 miles, 20.6 gallons or 7 birds per gallon;

February 28, 172 species, 1185 miles, 60.7 gallons, or 2.83 birds per gallon (I busted the budget chasing a Cape May Warbler on the far side of Spokane);

August 30, 279 species, 2450 miles, 109.3 gallons or 1.64 birds per gallon

December 31, 312 species, 4850.8 miles, 204.9 gallons or 1.52 birds per gallon! I also set a personal best King County year tally of 210.



As you can see, I met my goals and then some. However, I plan to do a bit better in 2006, with more car-pooling, canoe-, bike-, and bus-riding, and a stronger focus on my home county. I'm shooting for 4000 miles and/or 150 gallons.



Gene Hunn

18476 47th Pl NE

Lake Forest Park, WA 98155

enhunn323 at comcast.net