Hello again birding friends.
I received over 20 replies to my request for a National bird club
recommendation and almost unanimously have been advised to join Birds
Australia (BA). The general consensus is that BA is much involved in
National Bird Protection where the acquisition of Gluepot and Newhaven
Station's were highly praised examples. There were praise too for BA
management who were cited as being very inclusive and encouraging to
members. This Newsgroup and also the inexpensive and well managed access
that is permitted to birdwatchers at Gluepot Reserve are very popular. So
it seems that BA is doing it right at the moment.
Not one recommendation however for the other club. There is obviously a
high level of dissatisfaction from their remote country membership and
several expressed that they have only remained members because of sentiment
and the length of time since they joined. Perhaps if BA offered
retrospective status to those who join from other clubs, they would pick up
many new "long service members".
Perhaps club membership should be canvassed more in the discussion about
attracting young persons to birding.
My home is several hundred kilometers south west of Katherine NT. and at
present, we have internet access only when we visit town, so I would like to
thank now, those who replied to me. I will reply individually as soon as
possible.
My most exciting bird observations recently were several hundred Oriental
Pratincoles hawking after insects just before dark near Victoria River Downs
homestead one day this week. And about 3 weeks ago there were more than
1000 Little Curlews on our airstrip for only 2 days but they have flown away
to elsewhere now.
Thank you again and good birding to all.
Tracey Austin
Tracey Austin <> wrote:
Hello birding friends
The recent discussion has prompted me to write this note. I am new to
bird watching and I live in a remote town in the NT. I intend to join
Birding Australia soon but I also want to join a second national bird club.
Could members discuss some aspects of the various clubs including what the
various clubs offer their remote country membership. I am looking for a
club
that shares general birding info, is inclusive and involves all its
membership and is not too expensive. Also one that is involved with good
national habitat conservation projects.
However a friend of a friend who is also a remotely based birdwatcher has
been a member of one group (Victorian based I think)since the early 1960's.
She is very disappointed with her club and intends to resign soon after
more
than 35 years because she says it has become very expensive and apparently
she gets very little for her membership. Apparently this particular club
used to have a reduced rate for country membership which allowed for
reduced
access to club facilities and functions but now they offer nothing for
their
remote members and she feels that she is just subsidizing advantaged city
members now. Apparently the only thing her club has ever sent her in more
than 30 years was a windscreen sticker when she joined and you can imagine
what that looks like now. She also tells me that the newsletter is more
than
50% full of commercial advertisements too and also that in all the time of
her membership, there has never been one issue circulated to country
members
for comment or input. I hope that there are some other clubs that are
better than that so could members discuss and recommend the options please.
Thank you in anticipation
Tracey Austin
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