The Lincolnshire Bird Club

At the AGM later this month, there is a proposal regarding access to the Lincs Bird Club Forum, namely that non-members should also be granted access to the forum for postings - but "in the sightings section only".

This is good as far as it goes, but I think the same principle should also apply to the other pages on the site

If birders in other parts of the country / world want to announce events or contribute to forum discussions, I think members would like to be informed. The site would thus be enhanced to everone's benefit.

It may be that clothing/ optical equipment manufacturers, book/magazine publishers and accommodation/ holiday providers might wish to come up with special offers for LBC members.

There may be risks (eg troll/ spam activity), but the moderators can surely be trusted to edit/block any inappropriate messages.

Unless someone suggests something I have overlooked, I think the advantages would outweigh the disadvantages and help to revitalise the website.

I should therefore like to propose an amendment to the effect that non-members should also be granted access to post messages on all sections of the LBC site.

However, I would need a seconder for this amendment to be put to the meeting.

If anyone is prepared to do so - perhaps through a contribution to this thread - I should be grateful.

However, if this amendment is deemed to be flawed or if there is no interest in it, I won't pursue the matter.

The deadline is March 15.

Thanks

Jim

I've been a Bird Club member for 30 years, many years before the Forum was thought of and you can count me definitely out Jim. Some years ago at the AGM I proposed that only members should be able to submit sightings and that was agreed. My reasoning was, and still is, why should I pay a subscription to the LBC if anyone has full access to the website? The only other major "perk" of being a member is receiving the Annual Report free of charge. The LBC has recruited a lot of members through the Forum and I suspect many of those joined solely so they had full access to the Forum.

I can see the rationale of allowing non-members to submit sightings as they will be extracted by Colin and Sheila and addto the database giving a more comprehensive view of the birds found in Lincolnshire. I still don't agree with it because of the reasons stated but concede there is a perceived need.

If you get your seconder good luck but I will not support your resolution. What does anyone else think!

I'm with Stuart on this one. I think there needs to be something for your membership that is not available to non-members.
Non-members can view posts, but I don't think they should be able to post items themselves.

Alan

I agree with Stuart and Alan membership should provide some privileges

regards john

Me too. The problem with Jim's suggestion is that we return to the point where membership was dropping because there were no benefits for members and non-members were using this site to sell their products, advertise their websites and in other ways promote themselves without giving anything to the Lincs birding community. We do not want to return to those dark days!
However, we need bird sightings from as many sources as possible
John

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Lincolnshire Birds https://www.flickr.com/photos/120340949 ... 8078912016
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Contact: recorder_north@lincsbirdclub.co.uk

This is not looking good - I'm already 4-1 down!

However, I remain confident that at least one seconder will still come forward - probably the chairman or ex-chairman (or both).


I'm working on my half-time pep talk . . . to follow.

I'll second you. Perhaps other wildlife should also be reported by non members besides birds.
I won't be at the AGM though.

If you look at the top of this page you will see that the Forum already caters for non-members under:

"Submit a Record (for Non-members)/or Request."

Please correct me if I am wrong but I believe the individual Species Accounts in the Annual Bird Report are made up of sightings collated from a variety of sources including Birdtrack. You don't have to be a member of the BTO or the Bird Club to submit records to Birdtrack so the facility is already well in place for obtaining sightings from non LBC Members!! This information is freely available to The Lincs Bird Report Editorial Panel so I cannot see why this change of rule is being put to the AGM.

4-2!



Thanks Geoff - I'm not certain that I can make the AGM myself, but at least I am now in a
position to table the amendment in writing, then notify Phil, the chairman.

Then it will be up to the collective judgement of those in attendance whether it is approved.

LBC's forum is potentially the Rolls Royce of bird websites, but even a Rolls Royce needs fuel. At present, the number of members who contribute posts is too small for it to be lively, informative, controversial even.

What is the point of having a website some of whose sections risk becoming semi-dormant? How can that be fair to the enterprising people who originally went to the time and effort of setting it up?

If anyone is worried about it being hijacked by those wanting to bang the drum for a commercial interest, let's have a separate section entitled "Trade Announcements" - or offer them the option of of paying to sponsor sections or place banner advertising, thus generating revenue for the club.

For those worried about trolls/ spams/ abusers, let's have faith in the Moderators who already do a good and conscientious job.

I am surprised that some of those opposed to the amendment prefer to stare into the rear-view mirror rather than look to the future.

Let's not have a parochial, introspective site. Let's have one that is forward-looking, dynamic and willing to embrace the whole birding world!

I think I was looking forwards..........

If there are no benefits to being a member of LBC, then people will not pay their subsription and the bird club will ultimately "cease to be" (like the now-extinct Norwegian Blue Parrot), and the forum gone forever.

I feel that the forum should be kept as it is with only members being allowed to post. It is possible for non members to submit records for posting. The forum is not broken & doesn't need fixing.

_________________
Regards,

Andy.

I like being a member of the LBC, I like being or maybe just feeling, part of a group of that have an extra interest in the County as well as birds and the wider habitat issues.

We are spoilt for how we can find out about bird sightings or post them. We are buried in technology to allow us to connect any time, anywhere. I don't think this forum is a go-too or first point outlet for bird news/sightings. I know of members who see lots and lots of birds that do not get posted for the LBC members. Why? I am not sure but respect peoples reasoning.

We could try to find a way to have our members more engaged and excited about their own forum before we go and chase information from the 'outside'.

This seems like an appropriate place to ask..
I have requested my membership to be stopped but no reply.."from membership contact email"
How does one cancel?
I only post items once in a blue moon so no great loss to the site..
But to be fair..reading about non members posting etc did make me decide to unsubscribe..
Last report from me..i had six little owls the other day..seen plenty of barnys also..a good year..
Still havnt had a shorty..
Carry on birding..chow for now!

I hope I'm wrong but I'm willing to bet Andy will be by no means the last to resign their membership if the motion is carried which will allow non-members to submit items on the Forum

Surely the motivation for most people deciding to become / stay LBC members is nothing to do with the website.

They join up

a) because they want to receive the annual report, and

b) because they want to be part of the county's birding community with all the camaraderie and shared interest that brings.

I stand to be corrected, but the evidence scarcely suggests that many people are motivated to become members by the "privilege" of being able to contribute posts to the forum. After all, how many members actually do so?

That's not a criticism. Why should they be bothered to? Most sensible people have far better things to do than firing off emails to the discussion pages of a birding website.

On second thoughts, perhaps I should retract that last sentence.