lonestranger

Trumpeter Swans IMG_1402 by lonestranger102, on Flickr

I can see Melierix's photos in both posts, the original and in Spyonabird's quote as well. Perhaps a page refresh might help.

I can't comment on the bird's ID but I can tell you that fledglings are very new to flying and will often be seen hopping around on the ground while they get the hang of flying and just as importantly, getting the hang of landing on small branch perches. The parents will be nearby keeping an eye on things but unless the bird is in immediate danger it's best to leave the fledgling alone and just give it the space it, and it's parents need. Here's a link that can be found at the top of the main page of ID forum that offers more info. https://forums.whatbird.com/index.php?/announcement/3-what-to-do-if-you-find-a-baby-or-injured-bird/

Clicking on the link above will take you to the opening page of the forums showing all the different forums, and numbers, as they were saved by the WayBackMachine back in April.

Is it possible that the darker colour is shadow being cast by a partially raised wing?...just tossing out ideas here, not claiming to know what I'm talking about.

I was surprised to that there wasn't a dedicated hummingbird thread already, so I started one. Ruby-throated preening. 0C3A3004 by lonestranger102, on Flickr Battling the bees 0C3A3297 by lonestranger102, on Flickr 0C3A3298 by lonestranger102, on Flickr 0C3A3299 by lonestranger102, on Flickr

No problem, Nighthawk01. I just find it frustrating that the posts from yesterday are now back on page 4 and 5 and the posts from last Sunday are on the first few pages. Just makes it more difficult to navigate to the posts that are of the most interest to me, and most everyone else I would image, and that's the new ones that haven't been seen yet.

I agree 100% with akiley. There were 4 pages of new content for me to sift through all because one person added an unnecessary "agreed" or something similar to almost every post made over the last 4 days. It's one thing to add something useful to older posts, but there is nothing useful in confirming the already confirmed on every post.

It was moved TO the North American forum because it was originally posted in the other ID forum.

The pictures show for me. Try refreshing the page and see if that helps.

Not easily, Mike_56.

I suggest getting close enough to fill most of the frame with the bird, which isn't easy to do with a cell phone camera. If the bird you're trying to photograph is just a tiny dot on the screen, you're not likely to get a worthwhile photo, even for ID purposes. I seldom use my cell phone as a camera so I can't offer advise on how to set it up beyond it's default settings. If you're discouraged with your phone camera, you may want to consider a pocket camera that you can carry with you all the time.

I checked the WayBackMachine to see if I could find some numbers from the old forums. I notice that the General/Off Topic Discussion forum had nearly 100,000 posts, second only to the ID forum. The Wildlife of North America forums, as scattered as they were, had a collective total of over 20,000 posts which outnumbers many of the other forums. While they might not be bird related, it sure looks like there was an interest in those forums and I look forward to seeing them returned.

The tail looks pretty short when looking at the shadow being cast. Just an observation.

It's possible that this particular bird lost it's tail to a predator and the new tail feathers haven't grown in yet. If a cat, for example, grabbed the bird by just the tail, the bird may lose it's feathers but still escape with it's life. Not sure of the likelihood of that happening but it sounds quite plausible in my head.

Ovenbird 0C3A2349 by lonestranger102, on Flickr

This might help, it's a poor job of editing but it brightens things up a bit. I hope @JackieL doesn't mind my quick edit. 30756401468_78586eb5cd_o by lonestranger102, on Flickr

Share your disheveled looking birds here. Northern Cardinal preening it's new feathers. 0C3A2477 by lonestranger102, on Flickr The same Northern Cardinal reaching for those hard to get spots. 0C3A2480 by lonestranger102, on Flickr

Great blue heron taking off after being pestered by some terns. 0C3A8717-4 by lonestranger102, on Flickr

Osprey being cooperative and hunting my side of the shoreline. 0C3A0863 by lonestranger102, on Flickr 0C3A0847 by lonestranger102, on Flickr

Don't be judging me...It's not like you've never looked to see what's between your legs before. IMG_5298 by lonestranger102, on Flickr

Just to be clear, I am not suggesting more ID forums. I am suggesting more off topic categories where people can share photos and discuss the other wildlife they might encounter while birding. I can't speak for all birders, but I am fairly sure that a large majority of birders enjoy more than just the birds when they're out birding. Having somewhere to share that added enjoyment with like minded people is all I'm suggesting.

I think they were very popular, but I wasn't monitoring how many posts were being posted or how often. @Administrator might be able to check the numbers, or maybe @psweet would know since he was one of the members that was often sharing his knowledge in those forums. I know that I regularly checked the other wildlife forums because there was always new content to read and new things to learn about, all from familiar people whose knowledge I have come to trust through the many, many years of being part of the Whatbird community.

I respectfully disagree with Aveschapines. I think the off topic sections, including the sub-forums for mammals, reptiles, butterflies, etc., is a large part of what made the old website so popular. Instead of members leaving the website and coming back hours or days later to check the ID forum, I believe the old off topic forums often kept the members(experts) here on the website where they would continue to monitor the ID forums for new activity while entertaining themselves with the off topic sections in between bird IDs. Some of the site's best birders would often offer their knowledge in the other wildlife forums, that's what made some of those sub-forums so popular, like the butterfly and dragonfly sub-forums. I think it's better to attract/keep people's attention with a few extra forums than to have them get bored and surf away to another website. Again, just sharing thoughts here.

That is the point I was trying to make. I suspect the photo sleuth users will be doing the exact same thing, getting frustrated waiting for replies in their exclusive forum and reposting to the main ID forum where the experts are more likely to see their inquiry and provide a prompt reply. Just sharing thoughts here, not trying to be difficult.