It would be a wonderful world if all necessities of life were met and no one need worry about money or legalities, but that simply isn’t the case, and proper disclosures are necessary. Thus, please be aware…
- I am a professional freelance writer and editor by craft, trade, and IRS tax forms. To that end, I do write for profit (and only rarely for free, when a good cause cries for good words). For more information about my services, please visit MelissaMayntz.com.
- Every word on this blog is written, edited, and occasionally updated solely by me. I do not hire contract writers, nor do I publish press releases or other formulated content. I may use press material as a resource at times, but do not publish it wholesale.
- I am not a photographer, and thus, most photos on this site are not my own, but are used under appropriate copyright licensing, releases, and permissions from their respective creators. Photographers are noted in photo captions.
- I do, occasionally, publish reviews of books, feeders, and other related items. Those reviews are from my personal, tangible experience with the items in question and are not boilerplate advertorials, but rather my own opinions and experiences.
- Items I review may be provided to me at no cost by publishers, retailers, or manufacturers. This in no way influences the content of my review nor the opinions, recommendations, and advice I may express therein.
- After a review has been posted, the item in question may remain mine for my own personal use. I may also choose to offer it as a giveaway prize or donate it to an appropriate cause or organization. Items are not sold for profit.
- Advertisements, including banners and links, may lead to affiliate retailers from which I may receive a small stipend should you purchase an item. This does not affect your price on the item or anything else you may buy from that retailer.
Please note that I have no intention of making a mint from this site; I write because I’ve got some small talent for it, I write about birds because I love them, I share reviews because I think readers deserve an unbiased opinion about items, and I tell you all this so you know up front what’s going on behind the scenes.
Further Notes About Review Items
If you are a company, manufacturer, publisher, author, inventor, or otherwise creator of a bird-related item you’d like me to review, please do feel free to contact me while keeping the following in mind…
- I must personally see, handle, inspect, touch, thumb through, and manipulate all items I review. Far too many reviews rely on promotional information, other reviews, or suppositions to offer an evaluation, but I do not.
- I do not guarantee positive reviews, but do strive to create as balanced and unbiased of an overview as I can. I do this from a birder’s perspective, which may be different from other perspectives such as general naturalists, gardeners, ornithologists, etc.
- Review format may vary from inclusion in the field guide directory to full blog posts to other mentions, notations, and promotions. Full descriptive information will be included with each review so readers can easily locate the product if they choose.
- I am not able to pay shipping or handling fees. If you would like the item returned, I am happy to do so if return shipping postage and suitable mailing instructions are provided to ensure its safe return. I’m happy to be flexible with returning items as preferred.
- All items I review must be able to be purchased by my readers. Amazon purchases are preferred but not required, so long as my readers can access where to get the item for themselves if they are interested.
- I only review items of interest to a birding or wild bird interest. I will not review items related to pet birds. Items related to rescue organizations / pet rescues may be considered if they connect to wild birds with a conservation or similar theme.
- While I try to be timely with reviews, I do not want to overwhelm my readers and it may be some time before an item can be reviewed. If there is a timeliness concern with your review, we can easily discuss when the review may be scheduled.
- Reviews will not only be available on this site, but will also be promoted through various social media platforms, on gift lists, and at other opportunities where appropriate, so long as the product in question remains available for purchase.
And there you have the nit-picky. If you have any questions or concerns, I’d be glad to answer (see the About Me page for contact information). Happy birding!