Hello Chicago Audubon Society friends,
We have some news! We are changing the way we communicate with you, starting this month.
Our research showed that too few people opened our PDF Compass newsletter to make it worth the effort we put into producing it. Editor Laurel Ross and designer Sarah Sommers had worked together to come up with a truly beautiful product, for which we thank and appreciate them. (All their work is archived on our website.) Now we are trying something new.
Back before there was an internet, the bird club newsletter was the magic key to understanding where the birds were and connecting with the birding community. Now, we have eBird, Facebook, other social media and a website, all available to members and non-members alike. Maybe you’ve noticed those great Instagram and Facebook graphics that Judy Cheske and Ben Sanders have been making? Ben’s bird quizzes? Colleen Fehrenbach’s Facebook events? Our new #cassoundsofspring countdown? The action alerts and bird-finding guides on our website (thanks Judy C and Sarah Brotherton)? Antonio Flores, Jessica Johnson, John Elliott and Radhika Miraglia are the other members of our communication team. So, how does the newsletter fit in - and what does membership in a bird club mean?
We think our members join because they support our work. Part of our work is educating the local community about the value and enjoyment of birds, so instead of sending a members-only PDF every 2 months, we’re broadening our mailing list to anyone who shows interest, and sending more frequent emails with fewer articles. In our recent survey you told us what articles you like, and we’ll be writing them. These articles will live on the blog page of our website, and we’ll email a few sentences, a photo and a link when they are posted - plus we’ll be able to highlight them on social media. Also, we will continue to email information about our events and our action alerts.
Members are vital to our success as an organization and we plan to expand our robust membership efforts. We do still want to have communications just for members. Every two months, we will send members only a PDF flyer of our upcoming events, and an email similar to this one about what the Society has been working on. All the other member benefits - first chance to register for some special trips (we’re finalizing details for a new birding by kayak this year!), reduced registration price for Birding America, hats for the higher levels, members reception - will remain.
As always, we appreciate you and all you do for birds and bird conservation, and are proud to be building a more bird-friendly future with you. Look for our new communications starting this week.
Warm regards and good birding,
