The Lincolnshire Bird Club

We watch for the tide of spring to bring our basket of expectations that make our summer. We pain at the shortcomings, the non arrivals the now rare once common.

The chatter of birdwatchers on this forum is turtle dove-esque. A silent spring, a silent spring.

And the way to revitalise it is. . . ?

Oh that is difficult in these techno, social media times. My old fashioned feelings are that a club ethos is like minded people sharing an interest and building relationships with the drive and purpose of the club. Individualism is a lonely pursuit and while it is interesting and rewarding to read of members finds and dramas it is also a few layers away from the connection to a cause that can be personally fulfilling.

I am a member of LBC and apart from some old friends being members I do my own thing and have made very very few ongoing connections with other members. It is clear from the forum that there are many concerns about the land and wild things. We would love connected management of hedges, roadside verges, sea defence management amongst other things. My mind fizzes with the thought of a movement to work with councils and land owners to change a few small details that could make a huge difference. Collective energy supported by LBC science and data could change this county. It could change it only a very small way but it could inspire other counties too and that small way could magnify.

From my dark hole in North Lincs this vision could be a distance from what is already established. My life is busy with many other things apart from birds but this is exactly the reason to go local. To connect the distance.

That's because I rarely come on, otherwise it would be non-stop chat like the old days enjoying a good wind up at other members expense , no not wind-up as in fruity sounds

Cheers

Max

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

If you get a chance, it would be great, Andy, if you could elaborate - especially the bit where you say:"My mind fizzes with the thought of a movement to work with councils and land owners to change a few small details that could make a huge difference. Collective energy supported by LBC science and data could change this county. It could change it only a very small way but it could inspire other counties too and that small way could magnify."
Your observations could be the springboard for a worthwhile discussion by members.
Meanwhile, I agree with Max that a bit of cut-and-thrust creates liveliness, but I accept that it discourages some members from submitting posts.
One option might be to allow posters to adopt a username, thereby concealing their identities, but that would carry risks.
The fact is that, apart from the Rare Birds/ Latest Sightings section, most of the rest of the website has become a little stagnant because so few members are willing to submit their thoughts - probably because they are busy doing other things.
There is still the option to throw the site open to allcomers (perhaps for a trial period). How much more vibrant it would be if there were contributions from birders all over the country/globe. However, this suggestion was flattened when it was put forward at the 2016 AGM, so it would probably be folly to argue for it to be revisited (unless the committee thinks otherwise).

Jim i am afraid i am leaving the club.

After more than a decade of membership and almost 400 posts, all of them read with interest, that's sad news, Andy. Why so?

I am quite sure the rest of the membership sincerely hope you change your mind.