This may or
may not come as a surprise, and you may have perceptively seen the writing on
the wall.
I have
decided that because this blog is now controlling me, rather than the other way
round, it is time for a change.
“The
Allestree Bird man” or Allesbirdtree.blogspot.co.uk” has run continuously
(apart from a couple of NHS confinements… oh and foreign holidays) for over
three and a half years since the first
post on the 24th December
2015.
I’ve had a
lot of fun writing the 176 weekly posts incorporating some 128,000 + words, and
latterly more photographs than the early days.
The statistics reveal that there have been c17,000 page views by my
public so not exactly viral! 45% were
from the UK, 18% from Russia and 11% from the USA. (I have long suspected that the Russia hits
are probably automated searches!)
The
statistics show that in 1316 days, 13 people a day read my blog, of which 6 are
UK residents. I wonder who they are? The stats also reveal that assuming a
follower only checks once a week, an average of 90 people somewhere in the
world read my blog in any week. In the last month, I have had 464 hits from the
USA and 2 from Japan.
Of all the
posts, the most read appeared to be:-
…. 81. December
2015 The diary of a dedicated
amateur birdwatcher.
68. February 2017 Devon-Glorious Devon
67. March
2016 High 5…. Goshawks
66. May
2018 Montagu’s
Harrier… and Spotted Flycatchers.
As I have
long realised the title of each post is very important in getting attention.
Just one or two catchy words can catch a viewer who has googled those words. One including a "refurbished freehold property" got a good number of hits, until readers found that it related to the Carsington Osprey
nest and its recent DWT make-over!!
The comments
(thank you) have given me a lot of fun to read. You will know the handle you
used (if it was you!!).. but some of Commentators are inexplicable and will
remain anonymous!! Out of 166 comments….
Slimbridge
An enthusiastic writer who has posted over 100 comments
Onyx
Opteryx(9) I know as a keen young
birder in Derby
Pray.net.pk
(2) I wonder if he was from
Pakistan?
After
discussion with the family, who have witnessed my sad attempts to find any
interesting bird news from June to August this year, I have decided to reduce
the frequency to a monthly post, hereinafter to be provisionally called the
“The Monthly Flyer” and to be posted on the 1st day of the month,
commencing with September 1. Any suggestions for a more apposite title would be
appreciated!!
So that’s the
future. I’ll just end with a birding observation in our garden.
As you will
know we do have a public bidet near the patio which is very visible from my
study window. I am of course referring to the fountain, which is only activated
when the sun is out. At that point, the solar panel starts the motor and water
gently bubbles upwards about 2 inches, from the rubber tube in the middle of
the solar panel. When I see a Woodpigeon standing on the fountain edge, with
his back (!!) to the water I watch in eager anticipation for the moment when
the sun activated the mechanism…… and the consequences are obvious. I just want
to see the Woodpigs reaction!!
If you are
registered for an automated posting of each of my blog posts, this will
continue but only monthly. If you do not wish to receive these mailed messages,
you can deregister by going to the end of the blog site…… but I hope you
won’t!!.
Those of you with the link to received each new post, do not get included in the above statistics as you have not searched for these messages. So you dear readers, whoever and wherever you are remain anonymous but are still most welcome viewers.
I wish you happy
birding, a happy summer and a happy holiday. I have just been sent a cracking
raptor picture to start my new era in September, so I’ll be in touch then.
Happy Birding
The Bird Man;
The Microtibialist (and as known in Tui hotels, The Hat!)
