Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp in Lima.
Birders meetup in Maine. Now we shall do the same thing in Lima. Photo: Dawn Fine.
Dawn Fine created a group for birders using internet services such as Twitter, Chirptracker, Facebook and birding bloggers. She called it Birders who Blog, Tweet or Chirp on Facebook. Soon there was a web page and a forum, and while the activity on both sites at times is a bit stale, the most important thing is that there are regularly live meetups arranged . Dawn has the advantage that she is always travelling. She lives in mobile home with her husband Jeff and they travel where the birds and nature are. Dawn blogs practically daily at Dawn’s Bloggy Blog. Every so often she announces that she will be in a place and touts out a new meeting with friends she knows from the social media interface under the Birders who Blog, Tweet and Chirp. These meetings have been very successful and lots of fun. Not only putting face to a name, but also educational as the excursion members have different experiences and knowledge and together it is a huge knowledge tank. Furthermore the idea of meeting up for real is a sound action against the critics who argue that friendship within Social Media is shallow, and that real friends can’t be made on the internet. It does not have to be birding all the time. Sharon Stietler aka Birdchick regularly arranges “birds and beer ” – a bit of afternoon birding and then off to the pub for a pint (or two!).
Social Media Meetups were not created by birders though. With the popularity of Twitter, tweetups have become a fashionable word. Regularly tech geeks or bloggers meet up. The gurus (who in a way are competing for the same crowd) are making events together on regular basis (and most often charge for them) and they are well attended, but for birders this is an interesting way to get to know other birders locally and those that happen to pass through.
So for the first time I call for a meetup/tweetup in the Birders who blog, tweet and chirp spirit in Lima, Peru on Saturday May 29. I was thinking of two parts for a program.
07.30-9.00. Parque Ramon Castilla in La Aurora, Miraflores.
09.30-12.30. Pantanos de Villa.
Everyone is welcome, you don’t have to be connected on Facebook or Twitter with me. Spread the word with your contacts on the internet. Also use newer services such as Google Buzz and Four Square, and mailing lists as well to reach more people. I’d be interested to know how many people there are in Lima who like birds?
There is no cost involved except for entrance fee at Pantanos de Villa. I can offer a free ride for some people to Pantanos de Villa (first come-first served), as well as coordinate rides for those who are without a vehicle.
Enter your intention to participate in the comment section below and if you have any questions. The meetup will be bilingual, although Spanish will be spoken more of course. There will be a Spanish version of this blogpost on the Incaspiza Blog.
Oh, one more thing… if you do use social media, please put your user name on a large sticker on your chest, so you can be identified. You will most likely be known only by your user name, but not your face, so it is a good idea to let people know who you are. Social events such as this may also give unexpected business opportunities, although this is not the prime reason for the event. In any case don’t forget your business cards.
See you next Saturday May 29, 2010. I hope to do my next tweet up, where-ever I will be for a short holiday in June, the following in Rio de Janeiro around July 14 or 15 (Hope to run Rio de Janeiro Marathon on July 18) and in Rutland, UK for the British BirdFair in August. At least once a month, I shall call out for a tweet-up. You can obviously do the same with your followers and Facebook Friends whereever you are. You shall be spreading the birding gospel. And we all know: “More birders =>More eco-tourism =>More bird Conservation”. This will be fun!
If we can’t come to Lima on this occasion here is a short resumè where I will be during 2010. See ya!
