This WhatsApp group is not an official Fylde Bird Club service. It is administered by a group of keen Fylde Birders in order to share important bird news. While the administrators may also be members of the Bird Club, they are not accountable to the Bird Club’s Committee. Membership of the group is open to all birders, whether Fylde Bird Club members or not.
The Fylde Bird Club does, however, promote this service because it is a very effective means of sharing news of rare, scarce and particularly interesting bird sightings.
The purpose of this group is to quickly share important bird news and important related information. It is not to be used for any other communications. This is to minimise the number of alerts, which can otherwise become a nuisance to those at work and in other sensitive situations. The only exceptions are important messages that the administrators may occasionally decide to issue.
This WhatsApp Group is monitored by RBA (Rare Bird Alert) and BirdGuides will also pick up on the important content. Therefore, if news of a rarity is posted on this WhatsApp group, there is no need to also message RBA or BirdGuides.
Please email your mobile number to receive the joining link for the group. email Link
Rules for posting on the Fylde Bird News Group
- Please post details of rare and scarce species seen on the Fylde. By and large, only post messages about birds that people are likely to travel to see.
- Feel free to request directions to rare birds and provide such directions. However first use the Fylde Bird Club’s on-line site guide: LINK
- Please do post images of unidentified birds to request help as soon as possible.
- Provide updates on scarce birds (at a reasonable frequency related to the rarity of the species and how long it’s been present).
- Provide reports of the first few sightings of returning migrants.
- Please restrict reports to birds within the Fylde Recording Area (Sea to A6 & Rivers Ribble to Conder).
- Please do not use this service for chat and personal communications. The new Fylde Birding Chat group described below, or personal messages, are the appropriate means to conduct these exchanges.
- Please do not respond to sightings with ‘well done’ messages, thumbs up emojis etc. Remember that all members of the Fylde Bird News group will receive an alert for everything that is sent out, including all emojis.
If you want to send a personal message to someone who is using the service, please use their Individual WhatsApp address / mobile number and not the Fylde Bird News Group WhatsApp service. Remember all 240 members may receive every alert!
At times, important announcements may be posted by the administrators.
Please also enter records posted on WhatsApp into the Fylde Bird Club’s Sightings Page, unless someone has already done it. It makes life easier for compiling the annual records, if everything goes into the Sightings Page.
There is also a ‘Fylde Birding Chat’ group that is less restrictive in what can be posted.
Please email your mobile number to receive the joining link for the group.
Fylde Bird News WhatsApp Group Admin