Why Don't More Birders Cycle ? (1 Viewer)

[Jos Stratford]

it just seems such a great shame to me that more "environmentally aware" folk aren't travelling in a more environmentally friendly way more of the time

We all have our little sins It would also be more environmentally friendly to live in unheated, unlit houses ...but, regardless of whether we are birders or not, we ain't going to do it. Same with bikes, those who don't like them don't use them, not an issue of environmentally aware I'd say.

 

[Vectis Birder]

Knackered knees, a bit of sciatica and knackered back preclude me riding a bike (sadly because I had fun on bikes as a kid). I walk though if where I want to go is within walking distance, otherwise I drive. Public transport round here is almost non-existent and what there is is expensive and inconvenient.

 

[Karl J]

We all have our little sins It would also be more environmentally friendly to live in unheated, unlit houses ...but, regardless of whether we are birders or not, we ain't going to do it. Same with bikes, those who don't like them don't use them, not an issue of environmentally aware I'd say.

yes indeed we do

but is car use not slowly becoming excessive to the point of being a problem ?

 

[SiG]

I don't drive. We have a family car, the wife drives it, but we don't use it much. I have a 40-50 mile round trip commute every day and an all zones travel pass to do it with. I won a bike but haven't been on it for 7/8 months. Not sure why ... I've become familiar with the rural public transport network round here now, which helps but makes me lazy. I used to go and see my dad on my bike quite often before he passed away earlier this year too. Maybe that's something to do with it. I used to go birding on my bike a lot, but since I bought a scope, pod, camera, rucsac etc it's the wrong way to carry it on a bike, and I'm worried for its welfare if I fall off. But also with that set up I enjoy walking, and think a bike as well as a tripod is too much to manhandle on an A to B birding walk, rather than an A to A circular where I can leave the bike at A. But whereas I used to enjoy biking with bins, going out without the scope sometimes feels like going under-equipped - what if saw something worth a record shot? Digi-binning is beyind me.

I used to go to Martin Mere and along the Sefton Coast on train/bike; now I train/walk. But locally I now get a cab, bus, or the wife to drop me off where I used to cycle. Bad that; I might look into panniers/saddlebag set up with adequate capacity/protection when I'm next flush - a bit spent out now.

I went to Leighton Moss on the train a few months back. I'm an RSPB member anyway, but note that admission is free if you're not but arrive by train or bus.

At Marshside there's one cycle barrier to lock up to; it's often made inaccessible by a staff member's car.

Anyway, I promise to get the bike out next weekend and give it a service ...

 

[MSA]

Virtually impossible to bike with a scope, and I find my bins bounce around on my chest. Birders should use public transport more, though.

Nonsense, unless you're talking about having the scope ready for action!

I've been birding since the age of 12, and only passed driving test at age 20, so spent all my apprenticeship years on two wheels. Bins can be tucked inside your jacket or top, and scope put in rucksack, or fastened to a backrack on your bike by bungees. My first job was 7 miles from home and bus was 50p each way, a lot when you're paid less than £35 a week gross, so I cycled every day (and it was quicker than the bus, just over 20 minutes). I've been hit by a car once (totally demolished the bike, bent the pedal back through the frame, luckily it was on the upswing so my foot was pushed clear as I flew over the car and onto the road behind it) and had too many near misses to count.

My worst memory of the non-driving years is a twitch to see the WT Sea Eagle at Brill. No idea why I didn't take the bike on the train, but I decided to hitch, and got no lifts at all on my first visit, so ended up walking. Trouble was, I was wearing a new pair of trainers, and by the time I got there, the back of my ankle was rubbed down to the bone and bleeding profusely! Managed to miss the bird as well. Second visit I took the bike and scored.

I feel guilty for neglecting my two-wheeled friend, and now feel inspired to dust off the cobwebs - tried a few times in the last couple of years, but lapsed - and start again.

 

[jpoyner]

I think that as we are all supposed to be eco-friendly then cycling to a twitch should be made compulsory...........lets see what the year lists are like then

JP

 

[Miedin]

I bird by cycle at least once a week. I live 2 miles from the Atlantic Ocean so I do most of my cycling there, never without my binos. To keep them from bouncing around which annoys the hell out of me I just spin them around so they are on my back, then I can just pull the strap forward with one hand and reach behind my neck to grab them with the other hand. I do this while walking also.

 

[jomo]

I always take my pair of compacts with me whenever I go biking (some of those back roads are rife with Veery and Indigo Bunting). But otherwise most of my birding trips are a stop made on my way home from work -- too far to bike, and no public transportation into the city around these parts. I am planning a day trip to see the cranes staging on Manitoulin this fall, which will require a bike (taking the car on the ferry is just too much of a hassle and rather expensive).

I will admit, though, that I am concerned about the thing being stolen while I'm stomping around in the bush. Which really is kind of silly -- who brings a pair of bolt cutters on a hiking trail? Probably a hundred times safer than leaving it outside the supermarket.

 

[Paul Jarvis]

It's a good point to make Karl about biking, but I guess for reasons others have mentioned it's just not practical to carry all our equipment. I have a reserve called Mere Sands Wood not to far from I live so walking is an option for there.

I have once gone birding on my motor bike with only my bins, but not sure if it is the same as the biking you mean.

 

[Birdspotter]

Spent a very enjoyable day yesterday cycling around the Scoughall area of East Lothian with just my bins round my neck looking for Dragonflies and birds.
Scored with a Quail and an Emperor Dragonfly, will defo do that again soon.

 

[Bill@dwp]

I used to go to Martin Mere and along the Sefton Coast on train/bike; now I train/walk. But locally I now get a cab, bus, or the wife to drop me off where I used to cycle. Bad that; I might look into panniers/saddlebag set up with adequate capacity/protection when I'm next flush - a bit spent out now.

QUOTE]

I'm fairly certain Martin Mere (and all the WWT reserves) give reduced entry for cyclists. From what I recall it was a decent offer as well. Not sure if its free though.

 

[James Blake]

We all have our little sins.

Of course we do, and I wouldn't want to try to tell anyone how to act. Someone might drive lots and yet do many other significant things to reduce the adverse impacts of their chosen lifestyle.

But I do find it depressing that many birders appear to put no thought at all into how they could bird in a more environmentally sensitive way.

Had a great cycle ride out to Hayley Wood yesterday.

James

 

[Jos Stratford]

But I do find it depressing that many birders appear to put no thought at all into how they could bird in a more environmentally sensitive way.

Agree with you James, I would like to hope my net contribution is leaning towards the postive, it's just that I'm not going to get to many brownie points on the bike front. Do a thousand kilometres a week in the car (work/birding combined) and zero on a bike, but at same time my power consumption at home is rather nearer zero than some might be comfortable with ...last winter, partly out of laziness to make fires and partly as an experiment to see how tolerable it would be, I did not heat my house (other than the bed!) ...having a living room at minus ten must compensate a tad for my resolute refusal to get on a bike, no? Also have no hot water ...or for that matter running water at all in winter )))

 

[SiG]

I'm fairly certain Martin Mere (and all the WWT reserves) give reduced entry for cyclists. From what I recall it was a decent offer as well. Not sure if its free though.

You're probably right, Bill. I've got a membership card so I don't pay ...

 

[Henry B]

Can,t remember where I last parked mine. :hi: B B B :hippy: o

 

[matt green]

Agree with you James, I would like to hope my net contribution is leaning towards the postive, it's just that I'm not going to get to many brownie points on the bike front. Do a thousand kilometres a week in the car (work/birding combined) and zero on a bike, but at same time my power consumption at home is rather nearer zero than some might be comfortable with ...last winter, partly out of laziness to make fires and partly as an experiment to see how tolerable it would be, I did not heat my house (other than the bed!) ...having a living room at minus ten must compensate a tad for my resolute refusal to get on a bike, no? Also have no hot water ...or for that matter running water at all in winter )))

interesting point...

I wonder how many folk could tolerate living in a house with vurtually no heating or air conditioning in the uk,with our string of mild winters how difficult could it be?

probably a lifestyle thing for the ultra eco minded saving the world types rather than granny next door?

I read somewhere that property in sweden is so well insulated and build to such a high standard that their heating requirements are minimal.

matt

oh..and back to bikes,i've found the perfect cycle for jos to tour the lithuanian countryside on..a snip at £2999!

 

[Jane Turner]

Here is one reason.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=60812

Hasn't stopped me though

 

[GiG]

Here is one reason.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=60812

Hasn't stopped me though

That's a nasty bruise! Good it hasn't stopped you. I've only been hit by a car once 20 years ago, but for a few years more recently I did not cycle so much as I had a few near misses, although this was mostly in town. Poor car driving is one of those reasons why people are less likely to cycle for safety reasons.

As Karl originally put it is the lack of other birders on cycles that has prompted this thread. People have put reasons why they don't or can not and that's fine. It's good that lots of people do their own bit in their own way to lessen their impact on the environment. Birding without driving can be done, as shown from the two cycling blogs last year and from my own experience I've done a lot of birding and visited a few places. As I mentioned in a previous post about Trimley Marshes where it is a 2+ mile walk to the reserve from the car park, as a consequence it is not often visited and from talking to birders it is because of this initial walk - what better reason than to use a bike to go birding.

The amount of equipment is a bit of a problem, although tripod on back rack scope in rucksack and bins over neck and one shoulder while enroute - stops them swaying around but can still be used. Understand that it takes a while to set up if you have to stop to check something out. One thing I do but don't really recommend is when I've cycled to Alton Water reservoir and set up scope, there is a cycle track around the perimeter so to get to other parts I will sling the scope/tripod over one shoulder with a strap and cycle with one hand - a bit precarious but just manageable!

Gi

 

[James Blake]

...and of course if you want to look at your personal environmental record, the negative things you do or don't do may not be as important as the positive things you do.

Someone might drive lots and yet do masses of practical conservation work...meaning that they score better than someone like me who cycles but doesn't actively do that much for conservation.

James

 

[Jos Stratford]

probably a lifestyle thing for the ultra eco minded saving the world types...


oh..and back to bikes,i've found the perfect cycle for jos to tour the lithuanian countryside on..a snip at £2999!

I should just emphasize laziness played as big a part in not heating my house as anything else - I would get home late evening and rather than chop wood (whole house is heated by wood-burner type thing) it seemed easier to just keep a few chunky jumpers on ...anh hey, when its minus 30 outside, minus ten ain't so bad! Always kept the bed heated though, keeps the cat happy - this requires an electric blanket that uses about the same power as a lightbulb.

As for the bike, £2999, hmm - perhaps I could suggest a few other things you might like to splash out and treat me to first