EVERYONE: I've posted this on the LG Diary page also:
Does anyone have any constructive feedback as to the continued usefulness of the Daily Update page, which has been a great place to post photos of the birds and help with identifications and comparisons, etc. Now they're gone, I was planning to continue with it for the near future to see how it evolves. Obviously, anyone who wants to can start it off; I've done it only because I'm typically logging on to watch the birds long after you guys have quit for the night, so no worries there either way. I'm working on the assumption that Richard will continue to use this page (the Diary) to keep us informed regarding Mallachie's and Rothes' progress, at least for the time being and that he will advise us of any upcoming changes (closing down of camera, etc.)
I apologize if I'm being premature about all this, but I probably won't be on as late as in the recent past.
Unknown said: On reflection and reading comments above, maybe we should leave the Daily Update thread for updating on the nest and doings of chicks etc so we all know where to come for that (and can more or less instantly get that updaate) and start a completely different thread for our 'chat' meantime. Frankly, I'm confused about what should be used for what but think we should have a 'right' to chit and chat in with our comments about Ospreys.This site was obviously intended to cater for 'everybody', wasn't it? I believe we should enjoy our 'new found friendships' with the important thing in common - Ospreys. So, I'd like a clear indication that there is SOMEWHERE to reminisce, write poetry, hear about someone's pet, in with remarks about our favourite girls and nobody getting hurt please. As someone said, this site should be 'fun'.
On reflection and reading comments above, maybe we should leave the Daily Update thread for updating on the nest and doings of chicks etc so we all know where to come for that (and can more or less instantly get that updaate) and start a completely different thread for our 'chat' meantime.
Frankly, I'm confused about what should be used for what but think we should have a 'right' to chit and chat in with our comments about Ospreys.This site was obviously intended to cater for 'everybody', wasn't it? I believe we should enjoy our 'new found friendships' with the important thing in common - Ospreys.
So, I'd like a clear indication that there is SOMEWHERE to reminisce, write poetry, hear about someone's pet, in with remarks about our favourite girls and nobody getting hurt please. As someone said, this site should be 'fun'.
I would go along with what Cirrus has said here. We could possibly have a tracking update thread but I am not sure that would work on a daily basis as there would not be huge amounts to say about it most of the time. I don't quite know how that would work either as in who would decide who was going to start it each time or how often etc.
I would like to be able to come on and chat from time to time just to keep in touch and share my passion for ospreys with like minded people. I think we have a really good, firendly community happening here and it would be nice to keep that going through through the ospreyless winter.
Before I finish I must just say a big THANK YOU to Annette in SoCal for getting this going every day and observing for the rest of us while we were sleeping. You have been a complete star. *HUGS*
Hi Cirrus
If you want to have a space dedicated to "osprey-related chat" as you describe, I'd suggest you just go ahead and start a new thread devoted to that in this Forum, and make it clear from your title and first post, what your aims are. That way, like-minded people can feel comfortable chatting in the thread, while anyone who doesn't like to chat in this way, will know that it isn't going to be their cup of tea, and can stay away (and will have no reason to comment on the content).
I'm a newcomer to this site, but I think I can see what caused the tensions which were evident in the comments for yesterdays Diary entry (30th Aug). As I understand it, before the Forums were launched late July, the "Comments" facility attached to each Diary entry, was the only place where people could post. Once the Forums were launched, the LGO one started to be used mainly for the Daily Updates. Up to now, almost everything else has still been posted in the Diary Comments, because that's what people were used to.
However, people follow the LG ospreys for a whole variety of reasons, and perhaps this is a situation where one size doesn't fit all. For obvious reasons, some are going to be fairly serious birdwatchers or, like me, rather fact-oriented when on the Internet, and aren't interested in chat about pets etc, when they look in to find out where Rothes & Mallachie are. I admit I was irritated by the "private conversations" which were going on in the Diary comments last night, though I also thought some people had expressed themselves intolerantly, in that thread you were referring to (The Forum in General).
The fact that we now have this Forum, gives us the possibility of catering better for different interests, or rather, different ways of approaching the same interest - the LG Ospreys! I haven't seen any real guidance from the LG team/RSPB HO, about how the Forums should be used, so I guess it's down to us how we develop the Forum, provided we comply with the basic Terms & Conditions (see under Help). So we can have some threads with a factual bias, others which are chatty, provided we respect the fact that the threads have different "flavours", when we post in them. That's how I see it, anyway.
Annette
Sorry to have hijacked your thread somewhat. Re the Daily Updates, I think the format is great, while there are things going on at the nest site, but I'm not sure they're the right thing to go on with, now that the whole family has "left home", and there often won't be news on a daily basis. If they fall out of use, I guess that's your answer.
Regards, Sue
I agree with both Carol and Sue C. A separate thread on the Forum for KITs ("Keep in touch sessions" we used to call them at work, staff time where they could discuss anything they wanted and gain help sorting out problems, not necessarily work related) would be an advantage and not clutter up the diary page. Anyone can then dip in or out as they felt inclined, but we do need as Carol said to remember that this is a very public place on the internet.
The staff at LG have shown how facts can be given along with a light touch about feelings, humour and speculation and still keep it devoted to Ospreys in particular and some information about related subjects such as other birds of prey and wildlife round Loch Garten. It might be good to keep the diary pages this way.
A weekly update page? Perhaps this would be good for Osprey, or other raptor matters. Annette has been brilliant in putting this on when we (in GB) are asleep and I for one have much appreciated it.
Some of us can be very articulate, but not good at conveying nuances of meaning when writing and the written word seems to be very harsh if it hits a target that was not meant. Body language helps us all, even Ospreys to realise the meaning behind the words! Please disregard this is none of it is helpful. Liz
Liz
Hey guys: Lots of good ideas and some important points here! Many thanks. Feel free to hijack - not a problem. :-)
I've copied and pasted them into a word doc but won't have time to read today (geez - ospreys still dominating my day - how did that happen?)
Glad to see so many of you uneasy/ irritated by the non-osprey related private chit chat. I like the idea that those who wish to chit chat amongst themselves could have a thread for that and leave this site and the one on "Tracking Mallachie and Garten" , (which incidentally, seems to have kicked off to a good start), to those of us who want to chat and read about ospreys, tracking them, other wildlife etc. It needn't be deadly serious - the LG staff have shown us the way by coming up with some very , very funny comments about the birds as have many others