Whatbird.com

here is what i think

i have a comment and not really a suggestion

i think this might be just because i am a kid and i dont fully understand everything but at times this site discurrages me

it seems that not much attention is ever paid to most of the other threads and topics in this forum except the ones under help identifying and i am a member of a few other forums for different things including computer games and they are full of a plethera of different topics full of commotion and activity..... in the months i have been a member here i have seen very little fourm activity in mostly anything other than identification and feel that somehow thats just not right

i mean noone wants to share anything that has happened while they were birding..... people they have met, places they have been, and of cource the birds they have seen..... now i have nothing against novices or just people who are greatly puzzled and focused on what a bird is even if it turns out to just be a juvinile tuted titmouse or a bluejay with a bare head due to an illness

but it seems that much of the activity on this fourm is spent on these simple identifications and little on some of the other things..... yes i do understand that this is whatbird with an emphasis on what

but here is my suggestion..... taking someof the emphasis off of WHAT and make it more on the BIRD part as a bird website aswell

and if you think i am just a bratty kid now i am not..... i have birded in the Galapagos, Australia, Europe, Cape May with Pete Dunne, and this spring i am goin to Hawaii so i am a serious birder  i think i know what a good prosporous birding website should be set up....... and if you listen thankyou for hearing me out on this

I don't disagree with anything you are saying, in fact it would be great if the forum was like you point out. But forums are organic creatures -- they morph and change in ways one can't control directly.

Sure you can add new topics, as we have done, but its really up to the users to give them content.

I think the reason you see people asking repetitive and, what are to you perhaps trivial questions, is because these are what most people want to know when they see a bird. People not familiar with birds come to this site often because it promises to help them in its name "whatbird". So is it not suprising that you see the same questions.

My suggestion is if you want to see more interesting content -- just go ahead and add it -- provocative questions are perhaps the best way to excite poeple.

I will do all I can to help move any discussion you start forward, I promise.

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iBird Explorer: Finally a field guide as light as a feather. See it at http://www.ibird.com

I don't disagree with Erich at all. This might come to a surprise to all you that have complimented me earlier this year on my knowledge of birds, but I am a kid too.  I am hopelessly obsessed with birds, I have an impressive collection of bird guides, and I am always looking for some way tho test and exercise my knowledge, and this website was a godsend.  Although I also wish for more talk on birding, were birds are, new sitings, Christmas bird counts, newly discovered species, and all that stuff.  For example, I never knew the green-tailed towhee lived in Montana ( I live in the Flathead valley ).  I would like to know  were the densest population is, and stuff.  That is also half my fault for not posting a question, but I am worried no one will answer, thus it would be a waste of birding time. LoL!  So I also want more emphasise on the "bird" part of "whatbird".

 

Erich - When you were in Australia, did you happen to see any truly fascinating birds?  Did you see a wedge-tailed eagle?  I would love to hear all about you trip.

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Good Luck Birding
Josh

I also agree with you, Erich.  And I agree with the others, too, the forum will be what we, the member, want it to do.  I belong to the HancockWildlifeChannel forum, and we have some pretty lively conversations about just about everything, although it is mostly dedicated to eagles and eagle cams.  Perhaps the blogging section is where things are shared here, but they are not very active.  So Erich has started a thread on birding here, there, and everywhere.  Are you all ready to write about your experiences birding?  I would like to hear about your experiences in Australia and the Galapagos myself.

 

cool

 

this was replied to much better then i thought.... i wasnt banned or suspended or anything for " inciting a rebellion" well i understand more now and i guess all we need are other pioneering people who will not only post but reply to new topics that broaden this site.

Erich Birder:

this was replied to much better then i thought.... i wasnt banned or suspended or anything for " inciting a rebellion" well i understand more now and i guess all we need are other pioneering people who will not only post but reply to new topics that broaden this site.

 We discussed your punishment, but decided you where a pretty nice guy 

 However everyone agreed it just was not right you had no Avatar icon

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iBird Explorer: Finally a field guide as light as a feather. See it at http://www.ibird.com

It looks like there are 3 of us kids on WhatBird, as I am a kid too!!!!

 

I agree with Erich in some ways, but one thing I want to say, it is not where you have been and who you have birded with that makes you a true birder. I personally have only done serious birding in the US and about 10 yards into Canada (from the Montana border), but my life list is nearly 400. And in my opinion, a good birder has a good spirit, I've found that some birders who are famous have such a prideful spirit that they through off people as little brats who don't know anything about birds. So remember, don't judge a birder by their life list, where they've been to, and who they've birded with.

I personally come to this forum mainly to help people identify their birds. I think it would be nice if we could start a thing where you go to to tell about your birding adventures. I personally would rather do this on a forum than a Blog.

I don't know, I may be another "bratty kid" with crazy ideas, but I'm just voicing my opinons.

 

 

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/featherbrain1223/

were you serious about that

also.... i am not saying really where you have been or who you have birded with makes you a good birder

and i completly agree with the whole spirit thing

when it comes to birding i have plenty of it

 

What part are you asking if I'm serious about? I was serious about the whole thing!

 

 

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/featherbrain1223/

i meant iff they were serious about considering punnishment

and Josh i think by now you know what i saw in australia

I tend to agree. I'm a member of anothe forum and I have a lot of friends on there just from sharing stories. These are people I'll probably never meet.

 

I still think this forum needs a few moderators too.

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Don't cry because it's over, smile because you were there.

I have to admit I didn't know there were all these other discussions until yesterday.  I never thought to scroll down.  Glad I did.  IDing a bird is why I came here, but I look to stay for the other discussions as well.  I think the "what" is the thing that will introduce people to the site and go from there. 

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Not quite Central Iowa

Interesting points, all of you.  Ides - if you're a hummingbird lover watch this  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hummingbird-nest-cam

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"Watch the birdie."
Latest: Sage Thrasher, Ferruginous Hawk (Dark Morph).

I also very much agree Erich. I have had a few birding adventures and i would love to share them!

 And just to add on to the other posts by joshc and featherbrain, there are at least 4 kids here. I'm one too(well, a teenager). Though, with not quite as much birding experience.I've only been birding for a couple years and im not quite "obsessed" (i save my obsessivness for other things!)

actually, there are FAR more than 4 kids on here. i am one too! (15) there are at least 10 kids on here i know about.

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Check list: 101
Recent ones: Lesser Yellow-Legs, American Wigeon, Eastern Kingbird.
My Favs: Black-Headed Grosbeak, Ruby- Crowned Kinglet, Violet-Green swallow.