An ID Forum?

[Picidae]

Hey folks

Purely a hypothetical question (at the moment!) since Stuart et al would have something to say on the matter no doubt and may shy from any additional admin burden!

But

Given the daily growing membership and the rather crowded British Birds Forum on WAB, I'm interested to know if other members think a separate Identification Sub Forum might be useful? My feelings are that it would speed up the process of both finding ID posts and being able to respond to them and allow those who'd rather not be too bothered about posting on ID threads (or rather just avoid sometimes contentious discussions about identity!) to enjoy a multitude of other interesting posts/discussions about British birds without them being pushed regularly down the postings list by ID Q&As and thus minimising their exposure on the front page. I wondered too whether it would make it easier for new members to navigate the Birds section when many of them have joined primarily to get assistance with an ID (and of course have found us so delightful then decide to stay!).

What are people's views - Would it be helpful? Unnecessary? (Not bothered!?)

[tameblackbirds]

That sounds very useful useful me

[Ferret]

I think that would be a very good idea Picidae.

Ferret

[Tursiops2]

I agree entirely, I've been thinking this for a while. Not just for birds, either - ID requests for plants, insects, fungi etc. must make up a substantial proportion of posts. Perhaps an ID sub-forum for each taxon would make it easier for both newcomers and oldies to find them, and maybe easier to moderate?

You could have a sticky at the top of each forum reminding posters to include details of location, habitat etc.
T2

[sunnydale]

Yes, a great idea Picidae......for all the reasons you mentioned!

For example, I enjoy looking at bird photos that members have taken on a day out etc....but sometimes it can be a heck of a job finding them, especially if you've been away for more than a few days

There were 6 pages of new posts (just in the Bird forum) when I got back off a 10 day holiday, so it would have been a great help to have...at least...all the ID posts separate.

I never caught up and obviously missed some great photos and some interesting posts too!

Tracey.

[Jason Green]

I agree too, Pic!

[Hobjob]

I am one of those that very, very seldom browse the fora.

I get email notifications the next day of the fora I am intrested in.
(Downside is that when I can do an ID it has already been done!).
This saves quite a bit of time!

So if it was a new subfora it would be fine by me, so long as post came in the main forum - which is what happens currently with other divided fora.

So yes, I think it could work.

[sometimes]

I'm not going to pass an opinion either way, I'm not here enough, however, I would point out that some id debates do break into wider discussion of great interest to a wider audience, so may be lost in a specialist forum?

[FUDGEY]

I think thats the best suggestion I have seen on this forum so far. I hope it comes off.

[muscardinus]

Very good idea.

WAB is such a wide church - there are people with so many different levels of birding knowhow, and so many different (equally valid) approaches to the hobby - that this forum doesn't work well for me at present. I stopped looking after a while because it's stuffed with posts asking to identify extremely common species such as dunnocks, meadow pipits and so on.

On the other hand, I'm a total novice when to comes to fungi, so am guilty of exactly the same crime on the fungi forum ie. posting pics of species that are no doubt 'dead easy' to identify but which have stumped me (no pun intended). So you could say that this issue applies to every forum on here!