Local Club Outing

[Ralph]

On 11-05-2024 the local birding club had our monthly outing.
There are 668 members but the old leader just opened it up to people who will never have any input.
But this still leaves a large number of members who are local and in the close by township in the area.

We had 2 meeting places one for those who are close and there was another which was on the track that was the start of our
birding outing for the day. I went the 2nd place and one other car did also.
I was on my own and the car that turned up had 3 in it.So we were up to 4 members.
A couple of minutes later the 1st meeting place cars arrived or should I say car.
There was only 2 in that bring in the total for this outing to 6 of the 668 members.

I have spoken to the old leader as he is driver around Australia birding.
I told him I have a funny feeling that the club stands a good chance of shutting down and it will just be a facebook group.
He wasn't happy to hear this but it is out of his hands. The other part is we are heading towards Winter.
This will hold people back from attending as well.

Both the admins of the group are doing very little. It seems to me the doing the facebook thing is good but one in
particular has not attended an outing for the last 6 of them.
It is sad but I would not be surprise to say if you want to do outing from now on you will have to plan your own.

So this is what is happening in my part of the world. Oh on this outing I was the one who spotted a little more than half
of what we got on this outing. So I was happy with that.

 

[Richard A]

I have been in clubs (still am) where half the members never, or very rarely, do anything. But 6 out of 668 is pretty poor. Unfortunately, I don't have any answers.

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

I had a friend say that "forums are dead" meaning that more people only participate in facebook groups for the convenience or to stroke their egos (getting more likes). I disagree. Every hobby I've ever been seriously into had a forum and I found it helpful. Right now Photography is that major hobby, so I'm glad to be here. I wish there were more people on the forum who lived in my part of the world, because I would certainly organize a meet-up.

 

[Richard A]

I wish there were more people on the forum who lived in my part of the world, because I would certainly organize a meet-up.

I wouldn't say no if you wanted to fly me over for a few days!

 

[FowlersFreeTime]

I wouldn't say no if you wanted to fly me over for a few days!

If I had that much $$$ I wouldn't have limited myself with an A6700
Soon as I win the lottery, we'll talk

 

[Richard A]

You’re on!!!

 

[Ralph]

I have been in clubs (still am) where half the members never, or very rarely, do anything. But 6 out of 668 is pretty poor. Unfortunately, I don't have any answers.

Like you I have not got a clue on what to do. But on this one I think if the Admins got in and did a little more it could help but not real sure.

I had a friend say that "forums are dead" meaning that more people only participate in facebook groups for the convenience or to stroke their egos (getting more likes). I disagree. Every hobby I've ever been seriously into had a forum and I found it helpful. Right now Photography is that major hobby, so I'm glad to be here. I wish there were more people on the forum who lived in my part of the world, because I would certainly organize a meet-up.

When I got a computer I was with forums on what I was doing.
I didn't like some of the things I was told but worked out that they were trying to help.
And it was never a personal attack. Once this was worked out it was far better.
And I like forum and is one reason I am here as I find the help given is far more important over the likes
that facebook give out.
With people and facebook I have noticed that it has become a past time for many to collect facebook pages
even if they have no interest they just want to have their name on them.
So yes I get slack here and I do have to fix this but I don't want to over do it with the one subject.

 

[Richard A]

And I like forum and is one reason I am here as I find the help given is far more important over the likes
that facebook give out.
With people and facebook I have noticed that it has become a past time for many to collect facebook pages
even if they have no interest they just want to have their name on them.

I'm not on any social media at all (except YouTube, if you can call that social media. It's heading in that direction with the proliferation of "Shorts"). I just don't have the time for it. Would much rather be doing other things. I just think it's a massive waste of time!

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

I think the biggest problem with any club, and especially club outings, is getting people together who all want to do the same. I haven't been part of birding clubs, but have been on outings with the Butterfly Conservation people, which have always been good, but even then there are people trying to change the narrative of what we actually went looking for. This is the nature of people I guess, and it's what puts a lot of people off. I imagine that the logistics of getting a bigger group of people together over there is quite tough too.

 

[Ralph]

I'm not on any social media at all (except YouTube, if you can call that social media. It's heading in that direction with the proliferation of "Shorts"). I just don't have the time for it. Would much rather be doing other things. I just think it's a massive waste of time!

I would not call Youtube as a social Media thing. I am on facebook to share my shot with family and friends which I think it was designed for in the 1st place but it has taken on a role over the years is how I see it. So you are the smarter one than most. As I would get off if I wasn't taking photo's.

I think the biggest problem with any club, and especially club outings, is getting people together who all want to do the same. I haven't been part of birding clubs, but have been on outings with the Butterfly Conservation people, which have always been good, but even then there are people trying to change the narrative of what we actually went looking for. This is the nature of people I guess, and it's what puts a lot of people off. I imagine that the logistics of getting a bigger group of people together over there is quite tough too.

Yes I see what you mean with the logistics part. I know on a few I have stayed away as I knew a few would turn up and this would scare the birds off with the numbers of boot hitting the ground. And the bird they had in mind is hard to get even on your own let alone with that many. So yes there are times when a few is really called for but this last one it was in quite open areas so it didn't matter. And I just thought how disappointing it was to see so few.
When I 1st started there was around 20 people turning up and over time the numbers have dropped off. I do know people have their own things to do at the same time but this drop off was one that threw me.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I'm not on any social media at all

I know what you mean, but don't you count forums as social media? It's just that they were there before the term was coined. In the general way of things, I do. I don't do facebook, but belong to a number of forums based on a variety of interests. They are certainly a part of my social life!

I was never attracted to facebook and don't even have an account. Rather like Windows, I don't want to ever use it, but feat that one day I might have to!

Instagram is horrible. I was talking to someone, the other day (In real life! That makes a change ) who said she took one look at it and said no. I first joined IG to follow some machinists/engineers. That content is still interesting, and that ID does not attract too much rubbish. Otherwise, IG is just a bottomless pit. And I have to admit that I do sometimes spend an hour or three mindlessly scrolling through cats, owls, pretty girls and occasional content from friends. It is a mind killer. Far worse than TV ever was.

One or two of my forums had real-life meetups. They were always difficult to organise and attracted only a handful of people. The hifi group had the best meets, but only because of a lot of work done by the organisers. Every two or three years.

 

[Richard A]

I know what you mean, but don't you count forums as social media?

No, I don't to be honest. I guess I can understand why some people do though. A previous camera brand forum I was on (for about 15 years) I have made about 1,000 posts but in the same time, or even substantially less, others have made 20,000, 30,000, 40,000 or even more posts!

By the way, regarding Windows, I agree!

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

No, I don't to be honest.

Fair enough. There's certainly a gulf between the forums-type interaction that we both like and that of Insta/facebook: for want of better words (polite ones, at least!) we might as well call them "socialmedia"