Frank: what a good idea for the photo competition.
Nick & Frank: doesn’t it drive you round-the-bend to see the apathy from other users of this forum?
I counted up, and in round figures there are roughly 120 names listed as followers. Yet here’s a good idea and no-one, NO-ONE, else can summon up the interest / energy to hit a few keys to agree / disagree / comment. (
Luke posted some time ago to ask people to use the forum (while the visitors’ centre was closed) to notify interesting sightings. Zero replies.
I also belong to a couple of forums for other interests (campervan-ing) and each day there are hundreds of postings (not an exaggeration) on all the three sites I subscribe to.
Yet here we are with one of the nicest birding reserves I know of , a free “club” for us to keep in touch or chat about it and no-one uses it.
Rant over – I’m off to look for the hordes of invisible Ring Ouzels that I keep missing.
It is indeed slightly frustrating that the forum doesn’t get much use. It can be used for a whole range of things from sharing an experience whilst on the reserves, sharing sightings, asking identification questions and much more. I am sure there is a wealth knowledge amongst all our community members so look at the forum as a chance to share your knowledge with others.
Get typing peeps!
Although Arne is my local patch I do visit Radipole/Lodmoor occasionally so joined the group not so long ago. To be honest the last time I went to Radipole and posted photos (many not good but put them up anyway) I thought I was a bit too wordy as got so excited seeing Kingfishers,Glossy Ibis,Snipe, got a bit carried away and thought I'd said too much!(Sure this can be verified by Arne people):-) I have recently also been 'dipping' into the main RSPB Community forum and find that often I spend far too many hours on the computer late at night but point taken PossumDuck.
Get as excited as you like Pudweena, great to see people getting really enjoying some superb wildlife.
Hey! A blog on 'Apathy' is enjoying more replies than most of the other contributions in this forum so far, way to go Possum!!!
Seize the day!
Wow - a thread of more than 4 posts... well done you lot! Only joking!
I don't get frustrated particularly PD (Frank does!) but obviously would like the forum to be a more vibrant and well used resource. We do all the blogging in our own time as a measure of our passion for the reserves (and as there is no time to do it in work time!) and aside from the odd comment don't really know whether anyone is reading them.
I am sure as you say this could be a really useful resourse for sharing ideas and information if everybody 'bought in'.
I agree with Lukes comments re Pudweena - you couldn't possibly be too wordy, your enthusiasm is exactly what we want to see in this community. If you can't get excited about the wildlife why exactly would you want to go looking for it?
Well, you want wordy?! So going for the Guinness Book of Records for the longest Weymouth Wetlands forum thread:-)
Seriously though I understand the points made above but to be honest I put my comments under the blogs and under people's photos as enjoy reading about everything that's going on and love seeing people's photos, rather than using this forum page. I'm sure most people, especially local people, in fact I know some who do, always read the blogs and keep up to date so I do hope the Rangers realise how much people do appreciate what they do and I always notice how late at night these blogs often get put up - and I know they don't pay you nearly enough I know for all your knowledge and expertise.
However, the main RSPB Community Home page (at the top) does have hundreds of comments/posts/photos put up every day and it's impossible to keep up with it all but it is extremely informative/educational/interesting/fun with some very knowledgeable people sharing and contributing. The problem is having the time - like now - I shouldn't have even turned on the computer as have lots to do today! And then there are the live webcams too, nightmare:-)
No wonder Hub is pleased I've got so into all this as I can now happily chat away amongst myself for hours (nothing new though):-)
And I learnt something else very surprising PossumDuck that there are hundreds of postings every day on 'camper-vanning' - see, amazing what you learn through the RSPB.
End of book - you will be pleased to know that I will be off-line for much of the weekend:-))