Issues with BirdTrack :( (1 Viewer)

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PJPro

Well-known member

• Apr 6, 2018

• #1

Hi.

I have set up an account on BirdTrack but am having difficulty submitting data to the database. Currently, the only thing that appears to work is the addition of locations.

I have submitted species records via the Android app but am unable to view them on my PC. Moreover, the record is not added to the map and when I attempt to explore my records, the tool says I don't have any!

I've also tried adding a casual listing using my PC. I couldn't enter the species name when using Chrome so had to use FireFox instead. Once I had entered the casual record I went to explore my records and, again, the tool said I didn't have any!

Is there a time delay when submitting data? The first record we submitted was yesterday but it still hasn't appeared in the tool. Do I have to go through some sort of approval / review process before I can enter data?

Have to say this is all rather frustrating and I am considering using a different tool to record my records (eBirds is looking good!).

 

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PJPro

Well-known member

• Apr 6, 2018

• #2

I have sent a request for help to the BTO Bird Track Organiser.

 

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PJPro

Well-known member

• Apr 6, 2018

• #3

Anyone got any ideas? We spent 3 hours doing a complete list (with counts) for Keyhaven today (48 species) along the 5km (red) route. This has been uploaded from our mobile phone (so has now disappeared from the phone) but isn't visible on the web app. The new location is listed but no species of any kind for any date or location.

 

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PJPro

Well-known member

• Apr 8, 2018

• #4

Our data (except for locations) has still not appeared in the Bird Track web app and we have yet to receive a reply from the administrator.

 

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PJPro

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2018

• #5

I can't believe the folks at BTO have still not got back to us regarding our issue.

 

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PJPro

Well-known member

• Apr 11, 2018

• #6

BTO have finally got back to us. It seems the data was being loaded into the Bird Track Beta (Worldwide) portal rather than the UK Portal. This was not what we intended and we didn't do anything to make this happen.

Had a quick play with the Beta version, we find it less user friendly and more difficult to see species lists and reports. Apparently, the two portals will be combined into a single portal (the Worldwide version) in the near future.

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• Apr 13, 2018

• #7

Personally, I use eBird and have never regretted it.

 

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wildgoose1uk

Member

• Apr 18, 2018

• #8

I had the same issue myself.... I am a bit of a sporadic birder and an even more sporadic recorder. I just carried on using Birdtrack because I had used it in the past. It now seems I have my data spread over two websites through nothing I have done!

I have trialled ebird a few times this week and it seems to work well (though not perfect) so I shall probably carry on with that. Pity... I had wanted to use Birdtrack because the SOC encourage it but as I understand it it makes little difference as Ebird and Birdtrack share data.

 

Mark Lew1s

My real name is Mark Lewis

• Apr 18, 2018

• #9

Do eBird and BirdTrack share data? I know it's been discussed but I wasn't aware that it was happening!

 

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wildgoose1uk

Member

• Apr 18, 2018

• #10

As far as I know they do... at least according to https://www.bto.org/news-events/news/2013-04/bto-and-cornell-lab-ornithology they do

 

Mark Lew1s

My real name is Mark Lewis

• Apr 18, 2018

• #11

In spite of that declaration of good intentions, I’m pretty sure that there is no functioning data sharing process between eBird and BirdTrack. As far as I’m aware, any data entered into eBird does not make its way to county recorders - which suggests it’s not getting as far as BirdTrack.

 

njlarsen

Gallery Moderator

Opus Editor

Supporter

• Apr 18, 2018

• #12

In the past, those kinds of data collaboration protocols have meant having a third place where it was possible to search through both datasets together - but usually with some delay. That also means that the data from one source did not become part of the dataset at the other source. I do not have inside info, so I do not know which model for collaboration was discussed between Ebird and Birdtrack.

Niels

 

Surreybirder

Ken Noble

• May 11, 2018

• #13

Last I h eard there were some 'issues' between BTO and Cornell - someone at the BTO told me that they were worried about sensitive breeding data being put into eBird. I don't know whether that has anything to do with data sharing but it is why, to my understanding, BTO is spending a lot of (in my view unnecessary) resources on setting up an international portal when eBird's is already far more used.