The decline of B-A

I have been a subscriber to Birding -aus for almost 20 years now, albeit these last years only as an observer rather than a contributor. As I have written already once earlier, many years before, Birding-aus has been my absolute favourite among the several lists to which I have been subscribed. The reason was, and is, the good mix of experts and other birders, the great willingness of many of the experts to answer to all queries in detail and positively (and not condescendingly), and the low level of irascible mails and hot disputes. (Although the sure way to get a reaction to something one writes also on Birding-aus definitely is to make some mistake in spelling or English; I never got so many reactions as when I innocently-English is not my first language-wrote that I ‘loaded my batteries’, instead of ‘charged’! The decline in numbers of subscribers and the proliferation of other social media outlets seems to be global, and the European and N.American lists have nowadays a very low level of activity. So Birding-aus is still by far my most favourite list. I use the opportunity to wish you all a happy, healthy and harmoniouis, full of birds but low on trolls. Tromsø is cold, wintery, and bird poor, and in my garden the Magpie and the Hooded Crow are the only birds of 2016, while my year list stands at 8 species. Wim Vader, Tromsø, Norway