Lost Whatbirders
- Greyhawk
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- Location: North Texas
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Lost Whatbirders
If you have contact information for anybody from the old forum who hasn't registered here yet, please let them know about the new forum.
DLecy, for example.
DLecy, for example.
My feeder cam:
https://www.youtube.com/@johnakkaarrh4142/live
https://www.youtube.com/@johnakkaarrh4142/live
Re: Lost Whatbirders
I messaged everyone who was on Inaturalist, also I happened to find GacesWarbler on reddit, and he's joined. I got ahold of Blackburnian, but that was when I first found Charlie and we started contacting everyone to come to birdforum. I'll text him about the new forum here.
Re: Lost Whatbirders
Here is the people I came up with who haven't been found. I'm sure there's some more but this was everyone I could think of. I added the state they are in if I could remember.
Arron Canada
Johnd Texas
Dragon49 Florida
Avery
Texas cobra Texas
Jerry Friedman New Mexico
Zoroark nevada
Spyonabird
Peromyscus
Birds are cool
Neilpa
Cant remember if these members were still active...
Seattle
Pictaker
Arron Canada
Johnd Texas
Dragon49 Florida
Avery
Texas cobra Texas
Jerry Friedman New Mexico
Zoroark nevada
Spyonabird
Peromyscus
Birds are cool
Neilpa
Cant remember if these members were still active...
Seattle
Pictaker
- Greyhawk
- Site Admin
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
I am reminded of SirVive every day by my brother's gait belt.
My feeder cam:
https://www.youtube.com/@johnakkaarrh4142/live
https://www.youtube.com/@johnakkaarrh4142/live
- Zoroark
- Posts: 69
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- Location: Henderson, Nevada
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
*raises hand* Present!
Also worth looking into is if any active Whatbird members have an e-mail address, IM handle, social media, or other contact information on their eBird profile.
eBird Profile
ABA Life List: 551 • Most Recent: Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Short-billed Gull, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet
ABA Life List: 551 • Most Recent: Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Short-billed Gull, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet
Re: Lost Whatbirders
Good to see you! Yes we've found several people that way, some of the trouble is finding their ebird profiles.
I remembered Dragon49 s name is Mark something... Penkower? Something close to that.
- Zoroark
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
I believe this is his profile. No contact info, though.Kevin wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 3:27 am I remembered Dragon49 s name is Mark something... Penkower? Something close to that.
eBird Profile
ABA Life List: 551 • Most Recent: Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Short-billed Gull, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet
ABA Life List: 551 • Most Recent: Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Short-billed Gull, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet
- Charlie Spencer
- Posts: 101
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- Location: Sunset Harbor, North Carolina
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
There you are!
I found Ruslan B. on the ABA community but I've been unable to work through their messaging system. If anyone else is on ABA, please give him a try.
If you have someone's photos on Macaulay, you can work backward to the checklist and then their profile.
Sunset Harbor NC USA
- Zoroark
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
Ah, that's another great idea. If you find someone's embeds on the old forum with a URL like this:Charlie Spencer wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 11:59 am If you have someone's photos on Macaulay, you can work backward to the checklist and then their profile.
Code: Select all
https://cdn.download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v2/asset/648525448/1200https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/648525448
Then you can click the profile link below their name, or the checklist link below that.
eBird Profile
ABA Life List: 551 • Most Recent: Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Short-billed Gull, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet
ABA Life List: 551 • Most Recent: Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Short-billed Gull, Yellow-chevroned Parakeet
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Kansabirdguy
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
- Location: Kansas
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-
Kansabirdguy
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2026 8:10 pm
- Location: Kansas
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
Just contacted Ruslan through the NA Gull Discord and can contact Michael Long that way if that would be good
- Lonestranger
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
Michael Long is already a member.Kansabirdguy wrote: Mon Jan 12, 2026 11:32 pm Just contacted Ruslan through the NA Gull Discord and can contact Michael Long that way if that would be good
Re: Lost Whatbirders
I found Texas Cobra on Flickr, if someone who uses that platforum can contact him.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124304610@N07/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124304610@N07/
- Lonestranger
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
I sent Texas Cobra a message through Flickr to let him know about the new forum.Kevin wrote: Wed Jan 14, 2026 12:23 pm I found Texas Cobra on Flickr, if someone who uses that platforum can contact him.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/124304610@N07/
- Lonestranger
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SirVive
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2026 3:38 pm
- Location: SW Washington, USA
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
I'd been missing it! Especially when I had ID mysteries or when my father-in-law sent me a picture of a nearly all white Bald Eagle. Clear back in the beginning I'd found an article/post that I thought might have a solution to the problem but I had no way to contact anyone. I managed to track down Avery but he didn't have any contact with the bigwigs either. I would try to open it every week or two in hopes that a fix was in the works but to no avail. Eventually I came across a reddit post by Kevin that led me here. Thanks for making a new home for those of us who aren't big on FB or Discord, etc.
Sounds like the decision was made to not reopen the forum but here's the article I found that mirrored my symptoms and error codes I was getting if anyone's interested.
https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/to ... r-ex12666/
Sounds like the decision was made to not reopen the forum but here's the article I found that mirrored my symptoms and error codes I was getting if anyone's interested.
https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/to ... r-ex12666/
- aveschapinas
- Posts: 38
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
It was very frustrating for me not to have a way to let users know what was going on. And yes, I have to conclude at this point that the WhatBird forums will not be re-activated, although stranger things have happened there in the past.SirVive wrote: Fri Jan 16, 2026 4:19 pm I'd been missing it! Especially when I had ID mysteries or when my father-in-law sent me a picture of a nearly all white Bald Eagle. Clear back in the beginning I'd found an article/post that I thought might have a solution to the problem but I had no way to contact anyone. I managed to track down Avery but he didn't have any contact with the bigwigs either. I would try to open it every week or two in hopes that a fix was in the works but to no avail. Eventually I came across a reddit post by Kevin that led me here. Thanks for making a new home for those of us who aren't big on FB or Discord, etc.
Sounds like the decision was made to not reopen the forum but here's the article I found that mirrored my symptoms and error codes I was getting if anyone's interested.
https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/to ... r-ex12666/
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SirVive
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
I believe he(?) was a school administrator or principal. If anyone remembers what region of the country he was from it shouldn't be too hard to track him down.
- Greyhawk
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
Yes, I noticed that, but don't want to send to his work email.
My feeder cam:
https://www.youtube.com/@johnakkaarrh4142/live
https://www.youtube.com/@johnakkaarrh4142/live
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SirVive
- Posts: 17
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
[/quote]
Marin County California
[/quote]
Well that made it easy. 15 sec in I found a leader of a local Audubon walk by a similar name and by searching that found a photo and contact info within seconds. I'll PM you the info Kevin and let you reach out since you'll be more recognizable.
Marin County California
[/quote]
Well that made it easy. 15 sec in I found a leader of a local Audubon walk by a similar name and by searching that found a photo and contact info within seconds. I'll PM you the info Kevin and let you reach out since you'll be more recognizable.
- Hooded Robin
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
I am no longer lost (or no more than usual) and would like to thank Greyhawk and Charlie for their work setting up this new home.
- AveryF
- Posts: 19
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
WE’RE SO BACK Y’ALL!!!
So, what’s the story with the old forum and this new one? If it’s explained somewhere else on here somebody please link it
So, what’s the story with the old forum and this new one? If it’s explained somewhere else on here somebody please link it
Life - 590: Bullock’s Oriole, Tundra Bean-Goose, Western Tanager
Tennessee - 337: Great Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird
Rutherford - 246: Common Merganser, American Tree Sparrow, Eared Grebe
Tennessee - 337: Great Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird
Rutherford - 246: Common Merganser, American Tree Sparrow, Eared Grebe
- Greyhawk
- Site Admin
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
https://www.birdforum.net/threads/new-n ... rs.477122/AveryF wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 3:39 am So, what’s the story with the old forum and this new one? If it’s explained somewhere else on here somebody please link it![]()
My feeder cam:
https://www.youtube.com/@johnakkaarrh4142/live
https://www.youtube.com/@johnakkaarrh4142/live
- AveryF
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
Thanks! And a huge thank you for setting this up, I'm so glad to be back with this group.Greyhawk wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 3:54 amhttps://www.birdforum.net/threads/new-n ... rs.477122/AveryF wrote: Sat Feb 07, 2026 3:39 am So, what’s the story with the old forum and this new one? If it’s explained somewhere else on here somebody please link it![]()
Life - 590: Bullock’s Oriole, Tundra Bean-Goose, Western Tanager
Tennessee - 337: Great Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird
Rutherford - 246: Common Merganser, American Tree Sparrow, Eared Grebe
Tennessee - 337: Great Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Rufous Hummingbird
Rutherford - 246: Common Merganser, American Tree Sparrow, Eared Grebe
- Hooded Robin
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2026 2:15 pm
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Re: Lost Whatbirders
Great to see that AveryF is back, bringing membership to 29 (although I notice that some of the posts get more than 400 views).
Does anyone know if all the data from Whatbird is completely lost? I'm not looking for anything specific, just wondering what happens when sites are discontinued as I haven't experienced this before. I took a quick look at the "internet archive" site but had no luck.
Does anyone know if all the data from Whatbird is completely lost? I'm not looking for anything specific, just wondering what happens when sites are discontinued as I haven't experienced this before. I took a quick look at the "internet archive" site but had no luck.