Nature's Home, Educational or advert overload? (1 Viewer)

[Lamp64]

Around 50% of the new magazine was of no interest to me. Is it just me or do other people think it's lost it's way?

 

[Steve Lister]

You are doing well to find 50% of it of interest. I think I would be more like 10% for me.

The issue that came yesterday seems to have even more advertising than usual (yes, I do know that it makes the magazine free to produce), and less actual content of any real interest to birders. But I suppose it is no longer aimed at birders, if it ever was.

The 'editorial' mentions that the next edition will be in a different vein - but it will it be better or worse? I use 'editorial' loosely as the last editor I can remember, Mark Ward, was actually a birder whereas now it is written by three 'Supporter Communications' people. I was surprised to see that there is a Head of Supporter Communications, an Acting Head of Supporter Communications, and a Supporter Communications Manager.

One of the main articles, covering rewilding, prolongs the almost certain myth that White Storks used to be part of the UK avifauna so I was not particularly enthused to read it very carefully.

 

[Richard D]

I don't think it's ever been aimed at serious birders - very much those with a casual interest in birds or keen garden birdwatchers.

It could be much better.

As an aside I thought there was reasonably strong evidence that Storks once bred in East Anglia?

 

[Mono]

It is a fact of life in charities. The best supporters are those who pay their subs, donate a bit extra on the side and buy stuff from your affiliate links and magazine referrals. Some one who pays the minimum(if at all, "I was only using the public footpath"), brings their own butties, moans to the wardening staff and complains that the sightings website isn't updated everyday is sadly of zero benefit.

If you don't read the magazine then give it to a neighbour, put it in you local phone box library, or be otherwise creative.

 

[KC Foggin]

I would imagine many magazines wouldn't be around without the help of advertisers.

 

[Farnboro John]

I get the magazine because I'm a member but these days I often don't even open it (I do recycle it). Discounting for a moment the plethora of ads it is full of rubbish grockle photos, fulsome praise of RSPB from people who have no idea what they are talking about, inane questions that a four year old could answer for themselves via Google, and most unforgivably of all readers truly painful doggerel. The articles would be embarrassing in the Beano - which is also a good description of the incredibly tedious blogs on reserve webpages, that tell you nothing about reserves you might want to visit but have universally replaced the even occasional sighting lists that actually did encourage visiting.

The RSPB has totally lost its way, dumbing down doesn't reach out it puts off, because people can spot condescension and nobody likes it.

That off my chest I generally find RSPB staff around the reserves (NOT well meaning elderly vols behind the counter in visitor centres) helpful, knowledgeable and friendly. If only that combination was fed through to Nature's Home.

John

 

[Mike Crawley]

I volunteered with the RSPB for a few years on a public engagement exercise around the Manchester city centre breeding Peregrine Falcons.
Straightforward enough. Set up a ‘scope near the cathedral and Victoria Station and tram stop and try to engage the public and show them perched Peregrines. I was astonished by the second RSPB staff member I met as I had to show him Peregrine in a field guide. Poor lad didn’t have a clue but his job wasn’t to show people the birds but he was there to try to sell membership deals.

I’m still of the opinion that my membership is value for money.
I would welcome a digital version of "Nature’s Home" as it’s rarely if any interest.
Entry to Bempton was £6 on Friday. So as long as I visit a reserve more than 8 times a year, I’m ahead (and I’ve already been 9 times)

 

[Steve Lister]

I had no idea entry to Bempton was £6. There is a public right of way along the cliffs, not sure about from the carpark to the cliff path though.

A £6 parking charge for non-members would be more appropriate.

 

[Mike Crawley]

I had no idea entry to Bempton was £6. There is a public right of way along the cliffs, not sure about from the carpark to the cliff path though.

A £6 parking charge for non-members would be more appropriate.

The coastal path certainly runs along the cliff through the reserve, as you say.
Is it conceivable that it isn’t a prime spot for walkers to park and so it’s seen as reasonable to charge an entrance fee.

 

[JWN Andrewes]

I don't think it's ever been aimed at serious birders -

Oh, I don't know, I still fondly recall a quiz in one issue, a painting of a marshy landscape, packed with birds, some obvious, some largely hidden, the object being to find and identify everything. I absolutely loved it. Must have been back in the '70s. Downhill since then perhaps.

 

[moose1991]

Just done the crossword on page 48.
14 Down doesn't match with 19 across.
Egypt & Horsefly end in different letters.

 

[Farnboro John]

"Renegeration in action" (P36)!

John

 

[kb57]

I'm maybe going soft in my old age, but I'm starting to not find 'Nature's World' quite as terrible as I used to. I didn't know some guy in the 1700s thought birds migrated to the moon, so I learned at least one snippet of information from the last issue.
The adverts have got worse though, probably because the plethora of leaflets which used to go straight in the recycling bin appear to have been exchanged for more ads integrated into the magazine.
The worry is I'm entering the demographic that thinks its cool to wear pleated chinos; install an accessible shower; ditch my sofa for a 'rise and recline' chair; swap my Scarpa boots for some Cosyfeet, or perhaps some comfy deck shoes; build a nice conservatory I can enjoy all year round (then get it insulated when it gets too hot/cold); buy a cabin on a Dorset holiday park in the hope that my as yet unborn grandchildren might want to visit; buy a timeshare in Tuscany; or maybe even watch birds ('see mum feeding her chicks') with a £29.95 High Power Monocular Telescope....
And speaking of conservatories, who on earth is Anne Ryder Richardson ('as seen on TV') and what does she know about insulating glazed structures?

 

[kb57]

"Renegeration in action" (P36)!

John

I was puzzled by this as well. It's a two page advertising spread for an RSPB book with a free plug for the landowner, United Utilities.
There's a picture of a reservoir, with what appears to be a long-established oak woodland. The old heather in the foreground might be a clue that grazing pressure has been reduced at its margins, but there's no evidence of any natural regeneration upslope in the picture, which I thought was what it was trying to illustrate. And the tightly grazed fell in the background purporting to show how 'different approaches to land management can coexist' seems to demonstrate the opposite...

 

[Farnboro John]

I was puzzled by this as well. It's a two page advertising spread for an RSPB book with a free plug for the landowner, United Utilities.
There's a picture of a reservoir, with what appears to be a long-established oak woodland. The old heather in the foreground might be a clue that grazing pressure has been reduced at its margins, but there's no evidence of any natural regeneration upslope in the picture, which I thought was what it was trying to illustrate. And the tightly grazed fell in the background purporting to show how 'different approaches to land management can coexist' seems to demonstrate the opposite...

It's Haweswater Reservoir and those woods have been there longer than I've been visiting the Lake District. The fell opposite is grazed by sheep and Red Deer (used to see the latter when visiting the Lake District Golden Eagles in Riggindale there - eagles now gone of course.) I agree - no change: but I find the absence of competent proof-reading - of even headlines - also surprising (missing "renegeration" in large print is pretty poor, have they hired the Grauniad's team?)

john

 

[Andy Lakin]

Personally I'm always surprised how many people who are non birdwatchers/ very occasional birdwatchers visit RSPB reserves. Without membership it can be a fairly expensive day out with so many cheaper/ free options available nearby. They definitely are aiming to get more Joe public through the doors as somebody said earlier with extra revenue through selling novelty items and the odd slice of cake and a cup of tea.Also the bird feeding side is way over priced with the RSPB seeming to make out that you need to spend top dollar on bird food feeders etc. Would 8t cost any more to have an E magazine as obviously they would still be able to sell advertising space?
The websites for the individual reserves are often very poor with up to date sightings info and are usually centred around forthcoming events. I don't know if it is the charities view that encouraging more serious birders may intimidate the more casual birdwatcher from visiting. All that said the membership fee is fantastic value for money!

 

[Andy Lakin]

As others have said the volunteers are on the whole brilliant. Would you fancy having to answer if the Albatross W.T Lapwing etc is still about for the millionth time THAT DAY! Probably off topic, but does anybody know why most reserves are opening later i.e 9/ 9.30 and closing earlier? I know its been mentioned before but can't remember anyone giving a definitive answer.

 

[Farnboro John]

As others have said the volunteers are on the whole brilliant. Would you fancy having to answer if the Albatross W.T Lapwing etc is still about for the millionth time THAT DAY! Probably off topic, but does anybody know why most reserves are opening later i.e 9/ 9.30 and closing earlier? I know its been mentioned before but can't remember anyone giving a definitive answer.

Probably modern snowflakery, people just don't want to get up early and the organisation doesn't dare force the issue for the benefit of real enthusiasts.

John

 

[Richard D]

If they've got paid staff it might simply be costs

 

[NoSlacking]

I was given a subscription to BBC Wildlife magazine for Christmas this year and ive been very pleased with that so far. It's not all about birds obviously, but theres quite a large proportion of bird content in there