An ID Forum?

[charlieb]

Of course the problem then arises when "newbies" don't notice the subforum and post in the general forum anyway...

[valleyforge]

I also agree that this would be an excellent enhancement for the website, but would like to see the idea carried to the other forum sections too, as well as for birds.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Has a decision been made on this at all. Seems like a good idea, as some threads get lost in the sea of ID requests - i.e. I only found that jeff had updated his kingfisher diary in August this morning

[gleditsa]

Originally Posted by Tormentil

If you're advocating an ID forum for everything, then no, I'm against it.

If I want an ID for a fungi, for example, I'll stick it in the fungi forum where I know there are experts on this subject.

We have forums covering Birds, Fungi, Moths, Butterflies etc., etc., and these are the places to ask for ID's of each species. I think wading through a wad of ID's to look at the specific area one is interested in is not the way.

i think the fungi forum is already an id forum, if you look at the posts , by far the greater number are for id requests, with very few other type of postings,

although a seperate forum for other fungi topics would no doubt appeal to some members of the fungi forum,

j.

[RaptorLover]

Yes Pic a very good idea

John

[rossy]

just been reading the replys on here and most agree but at the same time you would think a lot more would come forward. one i didnt like was muscardinus as he seems to be knocking people for not knowing dunnocks or meadow pipits. now on this forum people help each other and thats what its all about . seems to me muscardinus knows everything i think not. you get new birdwatchers all the time so if you dont know a certain bird you ask how do you think they learn . im not having a go at you personally muscardinus but give people a chance to benefit from those who might know more and are more experienced than them. who knows everything ? rossy.

[gleditsa]

Originally Posted by rossy

just been reading the replys on here and most agree but at the same time you would think a lot more would come forward. one i didnt like was muscardinus as he seems to be knocking people for not knowing dunnocks or meadow pipits. now on this forum people help each other and thats what its all about . seems to me muscardinus knows everything i think not. you get new birdwatchers all the time so if you dont know a certain bird you ask how do you think they learn . im not having a go at you personally muscardinus but give people a chance to benefit from those who might know more and are more experienced than them. who knows everything ? rossy.

i had to post on the bird forum for a pipit id as i did not know the difference between a tree pipit or meadow pipit, (probably still dont, even if you sat both side by side) and received good friendly advice,
how else do you learn if you dont ask questions ? and where better than W.A.B ?
the simple answer, if you dont like id requests, is to ignore them, there will always be someone willing to help beginners, thats the very nature of W.A.B,
i would hope there is a place for everyone, expert or beginner.

j.

[RaptorLover]

Originally Posted by gleditsa

i had to post on the bird forum for a pipit id as i did not know the difference between a tree pipit or meadow pipit, (probably still dont, even if you sat both side by side) and received good friendly advice,
how else do you learn if you dont ask questions ? and where better than W.A.B ?
the simple answer, if you dont like id requests, is to ignore them, there will always be someone willing to help beginners, thats the very nature of W.A.B,
i would hope there is a place for everyone, expert or beginner.

j.

Snap and well said I think all would agree with that statement.....

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by gleditsa

i think the fungi forum is already an id forum, if you look at the posts , by far the greater number are for id requests, with very few other type of postings,

although a seperate forum for other fungi topics would no doubt appeal to some members of the fungi forum,

j.

This sounds like a birders' idea to me - for everyone else the main purpose of a forum is to get an identification. Where they are not just simple identifications then they can wander off into ecology, conservation, behaviour, etc., etc..... Putting separate fora for 'id' would just complicate matters further.
However, if it's thought necessary/useful, why not a Gallery for 'identification wanted'? After all the pictures are going to be in the Gallery and once identified can be transferred to the correct place but I see no need to clutter up the fora further ....

[Picidae]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

This sounds like a birders' idea to me -

It is (and I am). The suggestion was specifically for a separate 'bird identification' forum. The other fauna/flora forums seem already to be adequately separated and as others have said, there's probably less of an issue with ID requests in these forums being lost amongst more general posts regarding people's daily observations/photographic records etc and vice versa.

Photographic ID requests need to be uploaded to the image library if they are unidentified and are actually harder to find for some reason as well as more time consuming so the current practice of uploading them in the main forum for identification before they are uploaded to Gallery pics makes sense imo.