Mult Madness 2020

Wink Gross and I have been leading the Mult Madness Birdathon team for the past 8 or 9 years.
Last year we found our record 123 species in a 13-hour day.  We usually meet up at Vanport,
make a quick stop at Smith-Bybee, get over to Mt Tabor before rush hour, head up to Larch
Mountain, etc.  Naturally, there just isn’t enough time to hit many of the known hotspots in the county.
And, by the time we finish late in the afternoon at Oak Island and Wapato Access, the birding has
slowed considerably--and so have we, truth be told.  (If you thought White-breasted Nuthatches
never shut up, well, in the afternoon they do.)

I’ve often wondered how many species could we get if we were able to magically be at every good
birding site in the county first thing in the morning.  Well, this year is our chance to find out!  This
year’s Birdathon must be “teamless”—we can only bird as individuals (or with those with whom

we already share the same pathogens).

We’re inviting you to join our Mult Madness virtual team!  On Tuesday, May 5, let’s each go birding by
ourselves in Multnomah County and total up what we find.  Wink is willing to pledge support for Audubon based
on the total number of species we find and hopes he can convince others to do the same.  I'll be pledging a fixed amount.

It would be great if we could identify some volunteers to hit key locations early in the morning:
Vanport, Smith-Bybee, Mt Tabor, of course, but also

Oak Island
Springwater Trail
Forest Park
Powell Butte
Larch Mountain
Pittock Mansion
Oaks Bottom
Broughton Beach
Bonneville

and/or

Your favorite patch

NOTE:  We don’t know what the COVID-19 situation will be by May 5, but it seems likely Governor 

Brown’s “Stay Home/Save Lives” will still be in effect.  Here’s a link to the order.  See, particularly, page 3.

https://govsite-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/jkAULYKcSh6DoDF8wBM0_EO%2020-12.pdf

While we’d like to get a big list for the day, it’s way more important that everyone stays safe.  Please maintain 

physical distancing.  Please avoid crowded areas and trails—birding first thing in the morning should help.  

Please respect all closures.  (Sadly, Sandy River Delta is currently closed.  There may be others—check 

first.)  And it’s fine if you prefer to confine yourself to your Multnomah County backyard.   

Birdathon is Portland Audubon's largest annual fundraising event and much of their regular revenue such 

as from camps and the Nature Store has gone away.  We'd love you to participate in this for the fun involved, 

but we also want to support Audubon, and ask that you sign up at 

http://birdathon.audubonportland.org/teampage.asp?fundid=842#.XpJPD8hKiUk  

and provide the minimum $45 in contributions (either from yourself or others).