Sponsored "Big Day" Racing?
Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 8:11 pm
Now that I've officially turned to The Dark Side (I hardly ever go birding nowadays, I'm but a shadow of my former twitcher self), I have a butterfly orientated question borrowed from the birding scene.
Do folks ever undertake sponsored butterfly races?
In birding circles the rules are simple. Generally its four guys to a team, one being the official daylist recorder. The aim is to see or hear as many species of wild bird species in a 24-hour period (traditionally midnight to midnight) and see if you can beat other teams in a (supposedly) friendly contest. The winning team is that with the highest total. The real winners are the charities the funds are raised for.
Variations on the theme can include restrictions such as all species have to be within a chosen tetrad, or patch, or county, or seen by bicycle, or 100% self-found (no twitching) etc etc.
Obviously the rules may need to be altered for butterflies. It's probably fairly pointless spending time in the field anytime before dawn or after dusk. Unless you're really sneaky and decide to include night-feeding caterpillars?!? And are eggs admissable?
Anyway, it was just a thought. Doubtless brought about by too many hours of darkness and a complete lack of butterflies for the past month. Psychids and Winter Moths just aren't cutting it anymore.
All the very best
Gibster.
PS - Sponsored bird races often tend to attract the slightly more youthful (hence crazier?) generation. Maybe those less inclined towards 'boring' tetrad work? How do butterfly folk feel?
Do folks ever undertake sponsored butterfly races?
In birding circles the rules are simple. Generally its four guys to a team, one being the official daylist recorder. The aim is to see or hear as many species of wild bird species in a 24-hour period (traditionally midnight to midnight) and see if you can beat other teams in a (supposedly) friendly contest. The winning team is that with the highest total. The real winners are the charities the funds are raised for.
Variations on the theme can include restrictions such as all species have to be within a chosen tetrad, or patch, or county, or seen by bicycle, or 100% self-found (no twitching) etc etc.
Obviously the rules may need to be altered for butterflies. It's probably fairly pointless spending time in the field anytime before dawn or after dusk. Unless you're really sneaky and decide to include night-feeding caterpillars?!? And are eggs admissable?
Anyway, it was just a thought. Doubtless brought about by too many hours of darkness and a complete lack of butterflies for the past month. Psychids and Winter Moths just aren't cutting it anymore.
All the very best
Gibster.
PS - Sponsored bird races often tend to attract the slightly more youthful (hence crazier?) generation. Maybe those less inclined towards 'boring' tetrad work? How do butterfly folk feel?
