That is kind of sad though isn't it? You can only ask so much using forums such as this one, if you don't understand the answer to your problem the conversation can go on for ages before the penny finally drops, so to speak. Having somebody physically alongside you and demonstrating things and giving examples is worth a million Google searches, and so much quicker.

I really do wish I had a video club local to me where I could get a few ideas on how to make different kinds of videos, I do understand that most of my efforts are very similar - a bush followed by a tree followed by a few flowers etc etc...I was not blessed with a very good imagination I'm afraid, and even if I was, I don't think I would have the necessary expertise to put any ideas I may have into practice. Oh woe is me...

I agree with both comments, however as both of you (like me) started on "proper film" all those years ago I don't miss all the cutting/editing/striping sound track business !
I once joined a local film club in my teens in the 60s but was very disillusioned with it, as most people seemed to only show how much money they had by bringing the latest "gear" and wasn't interested in my clockwork 8mm stuff !
Now of course most people have (on their person) something capable of taking and showing very good quality videos and still pictures, I say "capable" meaning the phone and "not the person using it"  (as we can all see looking on the internet at most of the rubbish) !!  I have said in the past that part of my family ran a camera/camcorder repair business for years but wound it up because of lack of work and now repair printers and associated "things".  Even some of my friends that had (and still have) camcorders/cameras have taken to using top of the range mobile phones for making some of their films because of the convenience of not carrying equipment about with them !  Obviously if they go out with the purpose of making a decent "epic" they will use their original equipment.
I don't actually know if the major manufacturers are still making basic camcorders ? (apart from the type that the high end film and TV brigade use) I know that you can still buy them new, but how long ago were they made ? My Sony AX 53 was announced in Jan 2016 and it has not had any updates or been superseded since just like the AX700 (Oct 2017) that I also have.

I had a B&W "video" camera in the early years and I also had the editing gear for it. I think that if I cleared the attic out I might just have it !!!
As for editing videos taken on a phone, there are apps for doing it or I simply download it to the laptop and edit it with MoviePlus.

Sorry Albert as I said at the end, I simply download any phone footage onto my laptop and edit it like I do with all my videos !

I know exactly what you mean !! I very rarely use it for videoing and probably only 2 or 3 times a year. They are handy if you have nothing else to hand though !
Anyway I made a quick 3 minute video today of our local store in Penshurst and got a free drink !! https://youtu.be/cQGsfdu9XMY

Thanks Gordon.  A great short vid. I'm a Dad's Army fan.  Sadly the last member, Ian Lavender, passed away last year.

Just a bit of fun. The Blue tits are busy feeding their young at our house at the moment and this is 38 minutes condensed into 90 seconds.
https://youtu.be/h6UZuh1QoVQ

Thanks Gordon a nice brace of videos. I used to love "Dad's Army", and now I am enjoying the show all over again with the help of You Tube. An American reacts to "Dad's Army". He has started in the black and white days and now is on series 8. Here is the very first episode, series 1, episode 1 https://geo.dailymotion.com/player.html?video=x8pirwn

Due to copyright laws You Tube block all of these episodes, but the channel gets over this by posting a link in the description which takes you to the video on another site called dailymotion.

Eric the hole size is 25mm, this is what has been recommended and is the standard size for most commercial supplied ones that are for sale and they all seem to get in and out. This stops any predatory birds from entering the box and making a meal of the eggs and the young !!  We have witnessed sparrows (that are a predatory bird) having a huge fight trying to get in  to get an easy meal several times over the years, and if they do they will even build a nest on the top of the one in there. Nature can be very cruel !
Luckily I had my camera on a decent tripod and there was not a breath of wind that day, otherwise the cuts on the original footage would certainly have shown. Incidentally this is a pair flying in and out that have different markings.

Summer is supposedly on its way where I am, but it’s early afternoon right now and it’s only around 14 °C (57 °F).

Well done Eric, as usual. I enjoyed all the beautiful, flower close ups.  However, you missed one part of nature --- you.

Using my phone was a technical exercise and I learnt a lot.

I'm using it to shoot at 1080 '30'p.  But it's VFR (Variable frame rate)and the frame rate variation is horrendous.  Whilst my current editor, Vegas pro 21, handles the files okay they can cause problems so I use Shutter Encoder or Handbrake (both free downloads) to convert to 30 fps CFR (Constant frame rate),  When adding to a 25 fps project I use VP's "add at project rate" option which puts the clips on the timeline at 25 fps so a one second clip now occupied 30/25 i.e 1.200 secs.  Slightly slowed down but the frame structure is preserved as no frames need to be dropped to get from 30 to 25.

My biggest problem is its fierce auto exposure behaviour.  But that's another story.

I've just got back from my monthly video group meeting which takes place in the movie room of another retirement village.  Videos are projected onto a large screen and I was impressed with my phone quality