[obol] curmudgeonly engineered CBCs
- From: Lars Per Norgren <larspernorgren@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: obol@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 5 Dec 2013 20:27:41 -0800
******
))))))))
Is it the high altitude, oxygen deprivation? The Curmudgeon is
disturbingly reminiscent of Pollyanna tonight. In 1977 my friend Julio told me
that CBCs are not winter counts, but late autumn samples. Then someone named
Joel Geier brought up the same thing a year or two ago, proposing applying the
CBC protocol in January or February to generate some real winter data. Many
people opined that mobilizing sufficient talent at another date just wasn't
going to happen.
I have long fretted about this and that aspect of Christmas, as nearly everyone
does. But the very existence of CBCs makes me look forward to Christmas year
after year. As a minor without car or driver's license I never got to go on
more than two CBCs a year. Last year I did four, a record for me, and I
wouldn't have minded more. It well may be my all time favorite peculiarity of
American culture.
I went through a 25 year hiatus with CBCs. When I returned I found them
vastly improved. The species totals for counts in populous parts of western
Oregon have gone up 20-30%. I think much of the charm of the counts is the very
limitations Alan mentions. The arbitrary nature of the circle, the mixture of
habitats within assigned areas of that circle, provide a blend of structure and
challenges that give me a satisfaction I don't think is available otherwise.
There is enormous cultural momentum to the CBC. I can't imagine any of it can
be transferred. On the other hand, the Great Backyard Bird Count had impressive
participation WORLDWIDE last year. Keep thinking out loud, Big Al.
Lars
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