I like Hugh Kingery's idea of an "anti-pollution" formula.

[Joe Roller]

The whole idea is to get the biggest bang for your buck!

So I'll propose a formula to minimize the miles driven (and the exhaust pipe pollution) to see a bird.

The Formula:

miles driven per birder divided by species seen 

leads to 

drive alone to Bonny and see 50 species and drive back = 300 miles divided by 50 species = 6.0 - a high number - not good

But make the same trip with 4 birders in a car : 300 miles driven divided by 50 species, DIVIDED by 4 birders, so a score of 1.5 per birder - much better.

The idea is to have the lowest number, so driving 2 miles alone to see 50 species would be 2/50 = .04  a low number -very good

Seeing 10 species at a feeder, zero miles, would be ZERO miles, zero pollution, which is the lowest score possible.

A Big Year in Denver County by bicycle:

zero miles of tailpipe pollution for 150 species.   Again ZERO

Or do what I do - take a nap. Zero miles, zero birds. Wow! ZERO.

The main point is to get a buddy or three to join you for longer trips.

 "Let's Go Birding!"

Joe Roller, Denver

[maca...@aol.com]

Yes, thanks Hugh, and Joe too--

Definitely something to consider among globe- or even state-trotting rarity chasers and devoted birders, the irony of which I've often thought about!

Joe: "The main point is to get a buddy or three to join you for longer trips." And/or drive an electric vehicle (does that get a zero, or some decimal <1?) or at least a hybrid (a much more difficult calculation that). Or you plant a tree for every whole number in your Joe-score.

Marty Wolf,

NW CO Spgs

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[Caleb A]

I don't have a driver's license yet, so 90% of my checklists receive the score of 0....walking is a clean mode of transportation, but gee it takes a while to get places... -___-

~Caleb A

[Eric Storms]

On a related note, the below excerpt is from another mail group i belong to for a different state where a similar discussion was occurring. 

Eric Storms

Castle Rock

“ Late last year, after learning about the 5-mile radius (5MR - http://www.iusedtohatebirds.com/p/vancouver-5mr.html ) approach to birding, I encouraged many birders to try it out, and several did. (Missed out? It’s not too late! Draw your circle with this tool: https://www.mapdevelopers.com/draw-circle-tool.php ) This has been a very successful style of birding for a lot of people, a new way for folks with limited time or money to stay active and engaged, and a number of new local hotspots have been found. Many folks have told me it has rejuvenated their interest in birding! The main point of this challenge was (and is) to encourage exploring the local nooks and crannies around your neighborhood. (I, for one, largely ignored Point Loma this fall as it fell outside my circle.) Not all circles are equal, and the competition was really just intended to be with yourself – how many can you find, regardless of what others (in perhaps better locations) are finding? Where to get shorebirds if you’re land-locked? Checking that golf course pond repeatedly in hopes of a snipe or Spotted Sandpiper. Scouring small parks or residential streets for a rare warbler or vireo versus visiting the same famous hotspots every day. And so on. Exploration and discovery is major part of learning the status and distribution of birds in your neighborhood, your county, or your state. What is expected and not expected, when and where. Let’s do it again next year. It need not be a year listing approach, but simply adding to your cumulative patch total. Or – just throw the list out the window and bird with a sense of discovery and contribute to the ever-changing status and distribution of our local or state species. Yes, one is allowed to travel outside your circle, and visit famous sites, and chase rare birds, but I encourage you to spend more of your time exploring under-visited areas of the county or state..”

On Thu, Jan 23, 2020 at 8:12 PM Caleb A <caleb...@gmail.com> wrote:

I don't have a driver's license yet, so 90% of my checklists receive the score of 0....walking is a clean mode of transportation, but gee it takes a while to get places... -___-

~Caleb A

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[The "Nunn Guy"]

Hi all

Similar to what Eric shared below, "Patch Birding." My "patch" is usually Pawnee National Grassland (and south to Greeley-area) for the most part.

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn

http://www.friendsofthepawneegrassland.org/