Ian, Steve's original post was this time last year,
Thanks Simon - I got a bit worried there. I'm often accused of not knowing what day it is but I can usually get the year right
Like every sensible person, my first port of call on the website is the home page and the first thing I check is "What's new".
Anyone who only looks at the Forum pages is missing an awful lot of useful information and is seriously restricting their birding knowledge - both local and more general. Ian is building up a fantastic archive of words and pictures on the website and deserves a medal for his efforts.
Sorry to hear that pal, by the way fantastic 2009 article, another great read (spent my saturday night with your article and 3 bottles of Carlsberg), love the Elton mention
Dont get me wrong, my post was not Intended to be directed in anyway at Steve, for his intentions have only the birds best interests at heart. But it is slightly disheartening that many users of this forum still dont realise there is a website available, a fact I know to be true. I've come to live with that somewhat though! The notice board has all the county's info on it and it is archived to enable swift and easy searching, unlike the forum. I have purposefully avoided posting news items on the forum as this only encourages visitors not to view the website but I nevertheless appreciate that sometimes items such as this make their way on for the right reasons.
Neither if course, have I any intention of 'not bothering' with the website, we've come too far for that Had a very stressfull couple of days due to serious family illness so perhaps I let off a bit of steam there
The whats new,on the homepage,is the first place i visit each time i visit the manchester website as frankly the new stuff that ian puts on there is far more interesting than the forum,so never make the forum as the homepage in your favorites,add the manchester website homepage as yor favorite and link the forum from there. Ian uses too much time and trouble as well as cost,for us all not to visit the homepage as that is were everything is linked from ,not just the forum. Ian-don't stop,what you are doing is much appreciated by myself,and many others
Couldn't agree more John I can't believe people don't look at the rest of the website.
Please could all forum users please note the following notice posted on the BTO website (for more details see www.bto.org)
"Britain is currently undergoing its most prolonged period of cold weather for over a decade. In such circumstances, it is important to be especially careful in minimising any unnecessary disturbance of wild birds, especially the wildfowl, waders and other waterbirds that visit our coastal and inland wetlands in such internationally important numbers. In frozen conditions, birds not only need to expend more energy to maintain their body temperature, but food becomes much more difficult for them to obtain. In such cases, disturbance by people only adds further to the physical stress on birds, and such additional disturbance may result in increased mortality."
Many thanks for your co-operation,
Steve
I feel compelled (I'm afraid) to point out that the above has been on the Manchester Birding website for number of days. If folk care not to check the website, and I've made it terribly easy via the 'what's new page' then I'm afraid I don't see the point of running the thing
The whats new,on the homepage,is the first place i visit each time i visit the manchester website as frankly the new stuff that ian puts on there is far more interesting than the forum,so never make the forum as the homepage in your favorites,add the manchester website homepage as yor favorite and link the forum from there. Ian uses too much time and trouble as well as cost,for us all not to visit the homepage as that is were everything is linked from ,not just the forum. Ian-don't stop,what you are doing is much appreciated by myself,and many others
-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Saturday 9th of January 2010 09:36:32 PM
Please could all forum users please note the following notice posted on the BTO website (for more details see www.bto.org)
"Britain is currently undergoing its most prolonged period of cold weather for over a decade. In such circumstances, it is important to be especially careful in minimising any unnecessary disturbance of wild birds, especially the wildfowl, waders and other waterbirds that visit our coastal and inland wetlands in such internationally important numbers. In frozen conditions, birds not only need to expend more energy to maintain their body temperature, but food becomes much more difficult for them to obtain. In such cases, disturbance by people only adds further to the physical stress on birds, and such additional disturbance may result in increased mortality."
Many thanks for your co-operation,
Steve
I feel compelled (I'm afraid) to point out that the above has been on the Manchester Birding website for number of days. If folk care not to check the website, and I've made it terribly easy via the 'what's new page' then I'm afraid I don't see the point of running the thing
This happened at Leighton Moss today, further illustrating the consequences of disturbing birds that are trying so desperately to feed and survive in the harshest conditions seen for years.
"This morning there was a Bittern attempting to feed in one of very few areas of open water at Leighton Moss, which happens to be close to a path. The bird was soon spotted by visitors and news of its presence rapidly spread by word of mouth attracting many excited individuals who had probably never had close views of a Bittern before. Unfortunately, in their enthusiasm to approach and photograph the bird they displaced it from its only potential food source, seriously compromising its survival.
I tried explaining this to some present, but most were more concerned with photography than welfare, and I expect this will continue. We're posting this in the hope that regular visitors to this site, who we're sure would know better than to disturb the bird, might assist in informing visitors of the potential harm their enthusiasm may cause.
Whilst all this was happening, a water rail collapsed and died in front of us in the same area, further illustrating the severity of present conditions"
Please could all forum users please note the following notice posted on the BTO website (for more details see www.bto.org)
"Britain is currently undergoing its most prolonged period of cold weather for over a decade. In such circumstances, it is important to be especially careful in minimising any unnecessary disturbance of wild birds, especially the wildfowl, waders and other waterbirds that visit our coastal and inland wetlands in such internationally important numbers. In frozen conditions, birds not only need to expend more energy to maintain their body temperature, but food becomes much more difficult for them to obtain. In such cases, disturbance by people only adds further to the physical stress on birds, and such additional disturbance may result in increased mortality."
but I can usually get the year right 
