[mou] Election Day Bird List

[MARTELL, Mark]

While I am not much of a lister myself. The suggestions below may help =
take your mind off a long wait in line to vote Tuesday.

The Answer to Long Lines At the Polls - BIRDING! =20
-- Special feature by Audubon Ohio's Jerry Tinianow

Like millions of other Americans who will stream to the polls tomorrow, =
Audubon members will likely face unprecedented long lines and waits.  =
Unlike most Americans, however, our birding skills will give us an edge =
in tolerating these long lines.

At many polling stations, lines may stretch out the door, forcing people =
to wait outside in what could be damp, cold weather.  For many, this =
will be a major annoyance.  For us, however, this will present an =
opportunity to observe the local bird life, and maybe even pick up a =
species or two, at least for an annual or local list.    We can even =
create a new "Election Day" list, and work on it as the line slowly =
moves towards the door.  We're used to standing around in the cold and =
wet!

Birders who find themselves under a roof, but in a long line, can still =
make time pass quickly by putting their birding skills to use.  Simply =
put, we birders like to count things.  We are quite clever at creating =
new kinds of lists after we have exhausted the possibilities of the old =
ones (this explains, for example, my "2004 local park on holiday =
weekends before noon" list).

Of course, there aren't any birds indoors - at least, not most places.  =
But we can still use our creativity to find new things to count while =
waiting in line.  Think of the people in line, the people working at the =
polls and the numerous voter challengers and lawyers at the polls as =
birds with unusual plumage.  Create a classification system for these =
species, e.g., those with overcoats, those without, those dressed for =
work, those dressed for play, people wearing only primary colors, people =
wearing plaids, etc.  Create whatever system you like, then start your =
new "Election Day Indoor Life List."  The minutes (hours?) will just fly =
by!

Mark Martell
Director of Bird Conservation
Audubon Minnesota
2357 Ventura Drive #106
St. Paul, MN 55125
651-739-9332
651-731-1330 (FAX)