Saturday, 10 August 2019

A time for change... less quantity..more quality!!!


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!)  

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