BirdTrack App - New version for iOS (1 Viewer)

New version of the BirdTrack App released for iOS devices recently:

https://itunes.apple.com/hk/app/birdtrack/id596839218?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo=2

Help page:

http://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/birdtrack/taking-part/birdtrack-apps

The significant thing about this new version is it now allows for global data entry rather than just in the UK. I hope the android version (which is apparently being worked on) is available more generally soon. The existing BirdTrack app is easily the best I've tried for in the field data entry. Having the same system to enter data wherever I am will be really helpful.

Have you tried the ebird app for entry? How is this one better?

Niels

njlarsen said:

Have you tried the ebird app for entry? How is this one better?

Niels

Click to expand...

I have, though only briefly. I fairly strongly disliked it but it may well be that I'm not using it the right way and it works better once you're more accustomed to it.

There are a few aspects of BirdTrack that seem obviously better to me. In particular, it's very quick to enter a sighting because it works well with predictive text keyboards like SwiftKey (I'm not sure if this is the case with Ebird, but I could be wrong) and also lists birds in approximate order of likelihood. If I have to use more than two or three key strokes to enter a bird species, it's unusual. Every other system I've tried seems much more laborious. My view is that if it takes me longer to enter a sighting on an app than it would take me to scribble down the note on paper, then it's taking too long. BirdTrack doesn't make me think that but other apps do.

BirdTrack also seems to have more or less full functionality offline, but I've struggled to get Ebird to work well offline (even though it says it has almost full offline functionality). That may just be me not knowing how to use it though, but it's certainly never seemed 'intuitive' to me in the way that BirdTrack does. Maybe I should try Ebird a bit more than I have but to be honest I've got so frustrated with it on my first few tries that I gave up.

Thanks Andrew, for your insight. I have used the ebird app mostly while connected so far. Therefore, I have been able to select a hotspot for my location. Once I have a location chosen, I can very easily reuse that including the birdlist for the area by using "recent locations". Ebird central has advised people who know they will visit a new place to select the location ahead of time for best performance if I recall correctly.

Regarding entry, the easiest way is to use the search area on top. That assumes you will start out with a number - and if you have already entered that species on that list, it will add the new number to what is there already. So a couple of examples:

"1 lab" here in dominica will show "lesser antillean bullfinch" as the most likely species and if I press that I now have added 1 of those to the list for this visit.

"2 grk" will show me "grey kingbird" as the most likely hit, and I will be adding two of that species to the list.

In areas with longer list of birds that have been seen before, that list of likely hits will grow, but even if you are in a completely new area and the list used is the full ebird bird list, I think using two letters from first part and two from second part of the name will give you a shortlist that is easy to work with.

Niels

Andrew Whitehouse said:

Maybe I should try Ebird a bit more than I have but to be honest I've got so frustrated with it on my first few tries that I gave up.

Click to expand...

How does one view and download non UK Birdtrack data?

ZanderII said:

How does one view and download non UK Birdtrack data?

Click to expand...

I don't know - I've never tried. I've only used Birdtrack in the UK.

ZanderII said:

How does one view and download non UK Birdtrack data?

Click to expand...

Unfortunately not possible just at the moment, but download facility due to be added not too far down the line.

Captain_of_Crunch said:

Unfortunately not possible just at the moment, but download facility due to be added not too far down the line.

Click to expand...

To download the data? Or to visualize it? eBird seems to be streets ahead on that front, let's hope that the promise of collaboration sees fruition

http://www.birdwatch.co.uk/channel/newsitem.asp?cate=__13922

You can visualise general data on the BirdTrack global data entry portal, but the personal viewing option has not been added yet.