[texbirds] Re: Texbirds no longer the place for current info on rare birds
- From: David Sarkozi <david@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Graham Floyd <spcgraham.floyd@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 18 May 2013 08:10:28 -0500
Email and TEXBIRDS has never been all that good at up to the second
reporting of birds, it just has given that impression because it was the
only game in town. Email lists take a while to distribute, and the new
anti-spam strategies that mail providers use are wrecking havoc on
TEXBIRDS, large numbers of message are no longer getting delivered because
your ISP is suspicious that TEXBIRDS is spam.
There are so many ways to get information now, TEXBIRDS, TOSRBA, Facebook.
The Facebook version of TEXBIRDS continues to grow, I just approved the
1000th member this morning. I largely started that group to protect the
TEXBIRDS brand and to have a place people can post pictures. I don't think
the quality of the posts there are the same as TEXBIRDS though. The format
is not friendly to information either, whats at the top is the most recent
post or comment, so a post about a Golden-crowned Sparrow will get quickly
buried by comments on the upteenth pretty picture of a Indigo Bunting.
The Facebook Group, Texas Chase Birds isn't taking off. While its a group
devoted to posting information on Texas Review species, the system of 100%
moderation doesn't allow for fast dissemination. Posts can languish for
hours until the moderators can approve them. I don't fault them for their
speed, believe me I know the pressure to approve posts as quick as
possible. Perhaps they can add a few moderators and sort of crowd source
the problem (Tony, I'd be happy to be one).
TOSRBA still remains the best technology to get out word fast. You can post
to it with a simple SMS (text) message from most any mobile phone these
days. To make a post send a message to 41411 and start your message with
TOSRBA. Upper or lower case, it doesn't matter. Follow it with your message
about a rare bird. Once you post to it you are subscribed and will get
updates until you sign off, again with a simple SMS message. If you want to
sign up but don't have an update to post, send a message to 41411 with just
TOSRBA. Keep in mind that TOSRBA is for statewide rare birds. they don't
have to be review species, but birds that are irregularly seen in Texas.
The recent Flammulated Owl on South Padre Island would be a perfect
example, its not a review species, but unless you spend the night in the
high mountains in west Texas, they are pretty rare. I'm sure there are a
good number of people en-route to SPI for the Golden-crowned Sparrow and a
TOSRBA report would be valuable to them I'm sure.
And a word to those complaining about the lack of information, we do expect
to see you make updates, you can't be a lurker and and complain that there
aren't enough updates on TEXBIRDS, you have to earn that right!
--
David Sarkozi
Houston, TX
(713) 412-4409 twitter ID dsarkozi
On Sat, May 18, 2013 at 7:33 AM, Graham Floyd <spcgraham.floyd@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> I fully agree with that sentiment. How can we revive Texbirds?
> Graham Floyd,
> San Antonio, TX
>
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