Privacy Policy for MyBirding.co.uk
Last updated: 16/11/25
This Privacy Policy explains how MyBirding.co.uk (“we”, “our”, “the website”) collects, uses and protects personal information.
This is a personal, non-commercial website used for sharing my own bird photographs and sightings.
I respect your privacy and keep the amount of data collected to the absolute minimum necessary to operate the website securely.
If you have any questions, you can contact me at:
1. Who We Are
Site Owner: Site Owner of MyBirding.co.uk
Website: https://www.mybirding.co.uk
Contact Email:
This website is operated as a personal hobby project. It is not a business and does not sell products or services.
2. What Personal Data We Collect
MyBirding.co.uk only collects the minimum personal data needed to run the website safely and to respond to messages.
We collect the following:
A. Information You Send Through the Contact Form
If you choose to contact me using the website’s contact form, you provide:
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Your name (optional)
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Your email address
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Your message
This information is used solely to reply to your enquiry.
B. Technical and Security Data (Automatically Collected)
Like all websites, certain technical information is automatically logged:
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Your IP address
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Browser and device type
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Pages visited
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Date and time of access
This is collected by:
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Cloudflare (security and protection)
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The website server (access/error logs)
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Joomla (session management)
These logs are used for security, spam prevention, and diagnosing technical issues.
C. Cookies
The site uses:
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Essential cookies (required for the site to function)
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Functional cookies (only when you accept them via DC Cookies)
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Google Maps cookies (if you choose to view embedded maps)
Full details are available in the separate Cookie Policy.
3. Why We Collect Personal Data
We collect and use personal data for the following purposes:
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To respond to messages sent via the contact form
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To maintain secure website operation
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To prevent spam and malicious activity
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To load optional features (like embedded Google Maps)
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To manage cookie preferences
We do not use personal data for marketing, analytics, advertising, or profiling.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
Under the UK GDPR, the lawful bases we rely on are:
Legitimate Interests
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Responding to contact form messages
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Ensuring website security (Cloudflare, server logs)
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Preventing spam and abuse
Consent
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Loading Google Maps
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Setting functional cookies via DC Cookies
5. How Long We Keep Data
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Contact form messages: kept only as long as needed to respond.
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Server logs: automatically rotate and are kept only for security diagnostics.
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Cookies: expire according to their type (see Cookie Policy).
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No user accounts or databases of users are stored.
6. Who We Share Data With
We do not sell, trade, or rent any personal data.
However, some technical data (e.g., your IP address) is shared with services needed to run the website:
A. Cloudflare
Used for security, DDoS protection, and performance optimisation.
Cloudflare processes:
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IP addresses
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Browser information
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Security challenge results
B. Google Maps (Optional)
Displayed only if you accept functional cookies in DC Cookies.
If loaded, Google may receive:
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Your IP address
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Browser information
Google’s Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
No other third parties receive your data.
7. Security
I take reasonable steps to protect your data:
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Website served over HTTPS
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Cloudflare security and bot protection
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Server-level firewalls
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No user accounts for visitors
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Minimal data collection policy
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Automatic log rotation
8. External Links
MyBirding.co.uk may link to external websites.
I am not responsible for their content or privacy practices.
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
This policy may be updated occasionally to reflect changes in website functionality or legal requirements. The updated version will always be available on this page.
Contact
For privacy-related questions please use the contact form on the Home page