Motorless Birding
Motorless and transit-assisted birding can be a fun and challenging way to look for birds, and to gain more appreciation of the birds and habitats of the area you live in, while minimizing the ecological impact of your birding experience.
For the purpose of this 2010 listing challenge, a "motorless year list" includes only birds that were seen on trips that were made entirely by using non-motorized modes of transportation (foot, bicycle, canoe, etc.), starting and ending at the birder's year-round place of residence. Motorized wheelchairs are exempted with the understanding that birders who require one for mobility can still share in the spirit of this listing challenge.
Public-transit assisted year lists are similar to motorless year lists, except that public transit (buses, subways, or trains) is used in addition to motorless means of transportation. To join the fun and share your 2010 "motorless" list on this page, please contact Joel Geier.
See 2010 Results
2010 Participants
Mike Patterson lives in Astoria, and gets around by bicycle and on foot.
Andy Frank lives in NW Portland near Pittock Mansion and Forest Park. He does his motorless birding on runs in the park and along the Portland waterfront, as well as on bike rides to surrounding areas.
Art Clausing lives near Reed College in SE Portland. He is an avid bicyclist and has also taken up birding since retiring to the Pacific Northwest. Click here to see some of his photos.
John Notis is based in outer SE Portland. He's "not ashamed to count yard birds," but plans to bird mostly by bicycle.
Wink Gross lives in NW Portland, where since June 2000 an English cocker spaniel has inspired daily dogwalks up to Pittock Mansion that account for most of his motorless birding. Pamela Johnston lives near McMinnville. Her motorless list include birds seen in her yard or on walks. Sea kayaking will have to wait until a suitable saltwater inlet reaches McMinnville.
Linda Fink lives on a 45-acre farm with goats, horses, and more near Grand Ronde in SW Yamhill County. She does most of her birding in the course of doing chores around the farm, and on walks and horseback rides around the farm and into adjacent forest lands.
Matthew Schneider lives in Silverton. His motorless birding is done on foot and by bicycle.
Jeff Harding lives north of Lebanon, in Linn Co. His favorite method of motorless birding is to sit on his deck, beverage at hand, but he ocasionally rambles about the woods and fields of the Thackaberry Sheep Farm, or to the old mill pond at Griggs. He hopes to avoid running this year but may yet take up bicycling.
Joel Geier lives adjacent to E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area north of Corvallis, Benton Co. He does most of his motorless birding on foot, usually with a border collie leading the way, but will bicycle on occasion to get into Polk Co.
Don Boucher and Lisa Millbank live in Corvallis, Benton Co. and do most of their motorless birding by bicycle, in Benton and Linn Co. Just to make it a little more challenging, they only count birds that they've seen while birding together on bicycle or on foot. Click here to see some of their photos, nature videos, and information about local naturalist outings.
John Sullivan lives in Springfield and does most of his motorless birding by bike. He commutes to work by bike along a birdy route which includes most of the Willamette Riverbank Paths, frequently rides to prime birding spots like Skinner's Butte and Fern Ridge, and occasionally take longer rides into the surrounding hills.
Vjera Thompson lives in Eugene. Most of her motorless birding is by bicycle; she gets her daily birding fix while bicycle-commuting along the Willamette river. She also enjoys bicycling out to Fern Ridge and other local hotspots with her husband on the weekend.
Craig and Marilyn Miller (and their "kids" Fuzzy Bird and Affie Goose) live in a juniper forest about 12 miles east of Bend. They do most of their motorless birding on foot at home, but plan to occasionally ride their bikes to Bend and Hatfield Lake when time and weather permit.
