sbooder
an english birder in france
The Quest (if you are not interested in the preamble, go straight to ‘The Software’).
Like most birders or all-round students of Nature, I was looking for a piece of software to house all my records and photos of everything from Birds through Moths to Moses & Lichens. And like others, I probably took a very similar root in my quest for the one database that satisfied all my requirements.
This is how it goes; first you look for free Wildlife databases, in the hope that out there someone has seen fit to provide a piece of freeware that will fit the bill. But there is not, you see the trouble with creating a half decent database that provides all the aspects and tools that your average Nature Geek is looking for takes time and effort and a whole lot of rebuilds tweaks and updates to get it just right.
After being constantly disappointed with the poor and ugly offerings, you look for a generic or customisable database in the vein hope of altering it enough to fulfil your needs, which it dose not and so this route too is a dead end.
OK, you say to yourself, I will have to put my hands up and fork out a small amount for some shareware and maybe spend £10 or so. By the end of two weeks of trying out the free trials you have downloaded, you realise that you could have saved yourself so much time and effort if you were not so tight (and believe me…I am tight!).
With a new acceptance that you will have to layout some cash, you start your hunt in earnest. The starting point should always be independent reviews, what are others saying about the different wildlife databases and which one provides what they need, which brings us to the next criteria. What really are your needs, are you just a hobby record keeper or do you want to provide an addition to the ever growing accumulation of information on the internet through online databases like eBird?
After reading reviews and asking the relevant questions I finally hit upon Bird Journal 2.3, and boy am I glad I did.
The Software.
The first thing to say about Bird Journal is that there are 3 Editions for the PC. Local Edition, Continent Edition and Complete Edition; something for all needs and all budgets. I opted for the Complete Edition in the end.
There is a free trial version which is based on the Complete Edition. This has only two major restrictions, 1, you can only enter 15 new entries and 2, the import function is disabled.
The online ordering process is quick and easy and you are sent an immediate link for the download of the software by email, (there is an option to order the CD Copy at the same time). Once you have downloaded the package and installed it, you enter the registration details and off you go.
The first thing you notice about Bird Journal is how pleasing to the eye it is, nothing is scraggy or ill thought out, there are no buttons and frames overlaying each other in an ugly and haphazard way, which you find in so many other databases. Even the addition of extra recording tick boxes or dropdowns that you can add (we will come to these later) do not phase the layout of the Species entry form it just rearranges it’s self to seamlessly fit them in. There are two skins for all Editions, Default and Classic Blue, I stuck with the Default.
It is worth mentioning at this point, that there is a sample database in the programmes folder that allows you to see how entries will look before you start, it is well worth taking a quick peak at this to get the hang of navigation.
Getting Stuck in!
OK, you now want to start entering all your old records scattered about the place in tatty rain stained notebooks. Setting up your locations and editing your checklists could not be easier and as the software (Complete Edition) comes with a whole heap of Bird lists from all over the world, you can get going in no time.
Setting your locations is such a piece of cake and has a built in hierarchy function so you can add locations within locations later (see tutorial here). When entering sightings using the new entry button you choose one of your locations using two dropdowns: Country and Location respectively and they will stay as default for that set of entries when the Next Sighting button is clicked, this is good when entering a species count from a particular trip to any given site. After you have entered all the sightings for that particular entry you just click Add Entry and you are done.
Staying with the Species Entry Form; if you have imported checklists for other wildlife, like Butterflies (Complete Edition), sightings for a particular animal can be entered while entering bird sightings, it dose not matter if you are putting in bird counts and you have Red Admiral stuck in the middle of your notes, you just use the checklist dropdown in the entry form and add the butterfly or any other animal (as long as you have a checklist for that group). When you are finished and click add entries, the software places all in their respective groups.
Adding Photos.
This has to be my favourite function of Bird Journal. Not only is adding photos for any given sighting/record a breeze, it also creates thumbnails automatically, so that when you view the record later the small photo gallery sits smartly between species information and the Graphs section of the viewing panel. There is no restriction on quantity of photos, apart from the space on your hard drive.
Addition of Entry criteria.
If you feel that some form of information is missing when recording a sighting, you have the ability to add criteria to the form. Just as an example, I like to keep a note of which sighting is the first for that species in any given year, or if that sighting is a lifer. Simple, just click the options button and then either, the Sighting Properties or the Entry Properties button, (depending where on the form you would like it) and add a dropdown list. I called this particular dropdown ‘Lists’ and gave it two values: YT (Year Tick) and LT (Life Tick). I also added a drop down for large counts with a + option e.g. 500+, good for Wader counts at particular estuaries.
Addition of Checklists.
As I said earlier, Bird Journal comes with default lists (how many depends on Edition). If you wish to add a checklist, you have two options: 1, import a list, or 2, create a list. The first option is again easy-peasy, just look for a checklist online (Bird Journal forum has a section for this very thing), and save it to your downloads folder or anywhere of your choice and then use the Edit Checklists button followed by the import button to bring up the familiar windows open panel, select the file and click open, this will import the checklist and it will show in your list. Another nice touch at this point, is the safeguard that the file is not yet fixed in Bird Journal until you hit the update button, so until update is clicked you can reverse the import by just clicking cancel and clicking No to save changes, and that is it. You can of course edit the title of said checklist and even assign it specific locations, or change the language.
Creating a checklist is simple too. Just click New in the checklist window and enter the required criteria, assign it locations and families and you are nearly there. I say nearly because you have to enter at least one species to the checklist for it to function but apart from that you can dip in as you please to add species to it.
Import Export.
This function is probably the one that the more serious records keeper is looking for in a database, and here Bird Journal excels (no pun intended). I will not go into this function too deeply as the best way to see how it works is to watch the cracking tutorial video here. I will just say however, it took me less than 2 minutes to import my previous records from eBird to Bird Journal, and then the same to export from Bird Journal to eBird. Now I just export to eBird from Bird Journal with the daily count from my home patch.
Downsides.
So what are the downsides or cons to Bird Journal. Well I am hard pressed to find any actual downsides or cons, but there are a couple of things I would rather not happen but because the people at Bird Journal have provided a section on the forum called Feature Request it is easy to at least provide them with functionality ideas.
Two that come to mind and I will probably suggest these are: 1, it would be nice if the default layout of the directory on the left of the database was shown as closed i.e. when you click on the species section at the bottom the directory shows with all the wildlife categories open which is fine if you only have, lets say birds in the database, but I have already got Birds, Moths, Butterflies, Dragonflies, and Fungi, with a lot of entries for each, which produces a lot of scrolling. If the directory was shown as closed with just the categories showing it lets you open the one you want to work with. Of course you can bring up just the species you want to work with in the viewing screen on the right by using the provided search dropdowns which include, Category, Family, Species, and other criteria.
And the only other function that bugs, is not having a default option on dropdowns. For instance, I have created a dropdown for Observers, as my wife will be entering records too. Lest say I am entering a daily count for just me, after I have entered the first sighting and click Next sighting, it would be nice if my name was still showing in the dropdown for that set of entries but it defaults back to the name of the dropdown in this case ‘(Observers)’, I personally would like to have it function so that, when you go to the next sighting it keeps the observer from the last sighting until you change it and then keeps that observer and so on. Although I have these small gripes, it is evident for anyone who wishes to visits the Bird Journal forum, that it is these sort of ideas and features that Bluebird Technology are all too willing to assimilate into future releases
Summery.
I have only been using this database for 3 days and already I have mastered the entire functionality of it, including the Import Export functions. I do not think I have ever been able to do that before.
It is good looking, glitch free and the support from the Bird Journal team has been top.
If you are going to treat yourself this Christmas, then this should be a consideration.
Five Stars!
Information on differing features of Local and Continent Editions was provided by Bluebird Technology.
__________________
Happy birding,
Simon.
Like most birders or all-round students of Nature, I was looking for a piece of software to house all my records and photos of everything from Birds through Moths to Moses & Lichens. And like others, I probably took a very similar root in my quest for the one database that satisfied all my requirements.
This is how it goes; first you look for free Wildlife databases, in the hope that out there someone has seen fit to provide a piece of freeware that will fit the bill. But there is not, you see the trouble with creating a half decent database that provides all the aspects and tools that your average Nature Geek is looking for takes time and effort and a whole lot of rebuilds tweaks and updates to get it just right.
After being constantly disappointed with the poor and ugly offerings, you look for a generic or customisable database in the vein hope of altering it enough to fulfil your needs, which it dose not and so this route too is a dead end.
OK, you say to yourself, I will have to put my hands up and fork out a small amount for some shareware and maybe spend £10 or so. By the end of two weeks of trying out the free trials you have downloaded, you realise that you could have saved yourself so much time and effort if you were not so tight (and believe me…I am tight!).
With a new acceptance that you will have to layout some cash, you start your hunt in earnest. The starting point should always be independent reviews, what are others saying about the different wildlife databases and which one provides what they need, which brings us to the next criteria. What really are your needs, are you just a hobby record keeper or do you want to provide an addition to the ever growing accumulation of information on the internet through online databases like eBird?
After reading reviews and asking the relevant questions I finally hit upon Bird Journal 2.3, and boy am I glad I did.
The Software.
The first thing to say about Bird Journal is that there are 3 Editions for the PC. Local Edition, Continent Edition and Complete Edition; something for all needs and all budgets. I opted for the Complete Edition in the end.
There is a free trial version which is based on the Complete Edition. This has only two major restrictions, 1, you can only enter 15 new entries and 2, the import function is disabled.
The online ordering process is quick and easy and you are sent an immediate link for the download of the software by email, (there is an option to order the CD Copy at the same time). Once you have downloaded the package and installed it, you enter the registration details and off you go.
The first thing you notice about Bird Journal is how pleasing to the eye it is, nothing is scraggy or ill thought out, there are no buttons and frames overlaying each other in an ugly and haphazard way, which you find in so many other databases. Even the addition of extra recording tick boxes or dropdowns that you can add (we will come to these later) do not phase the layout of the Species entry form it just rearranges it’s self to seamlessly fit them in. There are two skins for all Editions, Default and Classic Blue, I stuck with the Default.
It is worth mentioning at this point, that there is a sample database in the programmes folder that allows you to see how entries will look before you start, it is well worth taking a quick peak at this to get the hang of navigation.
Getting Stuck in!
OK, you now want to start entering all your old records scattered about the place in tatty rain stained notebooks. Setting up your locations and editing your checklists could not be easier and as the software (Complete Edition) comes with a whole heap of Bird lists from all over the world, you can get going in no time.
Setting your locations is such a piece of cake and has a built in hierarchy function so you can add locations within locations later (see tutorial here). When entering sightings using the new entry button you choose one of your locations using two dropdowns: Country and Location respectively and they will stay as default for that set of entries when the Next Sighting button is clicked, this is good when entering a species count from a particular trip to any given site. After you have entered all the sightings for that particular entry you just click Add Entry and you are done.
Staying with the Species Entry Form; if you have imported checklists for other wildlife, like Butterflies (Complete Edition), sightings for a particular animal can be entered while entering bird sightings, it dose not matter if you are putting in bird counts and you have Red Admiral stuck in the middle of your notes, you just use the checklist dropdown in the entry form and add the butterfly or any other animal (as long as you have a checklist for that group). When you are finished and click add entries, the software places all in their respective groups.
Adding Photos.
This has to be my favourite function of Bird Journal. Not only is adding photos for any given sighting/record a breeze, it also creates thumbnails automatically, so that when you view the record later the small photo gallery sits smartly between species information and the Graphs section of the viewing panel. There is no restriction on quantity of photos, apart from the space on your hard drive.
Addition of Entry criteria.
If you feel that some form of information is missing when recording a sighting, you have the ability to add criteria to the form. Just as an example, I like to keep a note of which sighting is the first for that species in any given year, or if that sighting is a lifer. Simple, just click the options button and then either, the Sighting Properties or the Entry Properties button, (depending where on the form you would like it) and add a dropdown list. I called this particular dropdown ‘Lists’ and gave it two values: YT (Year Tick) and LT (Life Tick). I also added a drop down for large counts with a + option e.g. 500+, good for Wader counts at particular estuaries.
Addition of Checklists.
As I said earlier, Bird Journal comes with default lists (how many depends on Edition). If you wish to add a checklist, you have two options: 1, import a list, or 2, create a list. The first option is again easy-peasy, just look for a checklist online (Bird Journal forum has a section for this very thing), and save it to your downloads folder or anywhere of your choice and then use the Edit Checklists button followed by the import button to bring up the familiar windows open panel, select the file and click open, this will import the checklist and it will show in your list. Another nice touch at this point, is the safeguard that the file is not yet fixed in Bird Journal until you hit the update button, so until update is clicked you can reverse the import by just clicking cancel and clicking No to save changes, and that is it. You can of course edit the title of said checklist and even assign it specific locations, or change the language.
Creating a checklist is simple too. Just click New in the checklist window and enter the required criteria, assign it locations and families and you are nearly there. I say nearly because you have to enter at least one species to the checklist for it to function but apart from that you can dip in as you please to add species to it.
Import Export.
This function is probably the one that the more serious records keeper is looking for in a database, and here Bird Journal excels (no pun intended). I will not go into this function too deeply as the best way to see how it works is to watch the cracking tutorial video here. I will just say however, it took me less than 2 minutes to import my previous records from eBird to Bird Journal, and then the same to export from Bird Journal to eBird. Now I just export to eBird from Bird Journal with the daily count from my home patch.
Downsides.
So what are the downsides or cons to Bird Journal. Well I am hard pressed to find any actual downsides or cons, but there are a couple of things I would rather not happen but because the people at Bird Journal have provided a section on the forum called Feature Request it is easy to at least provide them with functionality ideas.
Two that come to mind and I will probably suggest these are: 1, it would be nice if the default layout of the directory on the left of the database was shown as closed i.e. when you click on the species section at the bottom the directory shows with all the wildlife categories open which is fine if you only have, lets say birds in the database, but I have already got Birds, Moths, Butterflies, Dragonflies, and Fungi, with a lot of entries for each, which produces a lot of scrolling. If the directory was shown as closed with just the categories showing it lets you open the one you want to work with. Of course you can bring up just the species you want to work with in the viewing screen on the right by using the provided search dropdowns which include, Category, Family, Species, and other criteria.
And the only other function that bugs, is not having a default option on dropdowns. For instance, I have created a dropdown for Observers, as my wife will be entering records too. Lest say I am entering a daily count for just me, after I have entered the first sighting and click Next sighting, it would be nice if my name was still showing in the dropdown for that set of entries but it defaults back to the name of the dropdown in this case ‘(Observers)’, I personally would like to have it function so that, when you go to the next sighting it keeps the observer from the last sighting until you change it and then keeps that observer and so on. Although I have these small gripes, it is evident for anyone who wishes to visits the Bird Journal forum, that it is these sort of ideas and features that Bluebird Technology are all too willing to assimilate into future releases
Summery.
I have only been using this database for 3 days and already I have mastered the entire functionality of it, including the Import Export functions. I do not think I have ever been able to do that before.
It is good looking, glitch free and the support from the Bird Journal team has been top.
If you are going to treat yourself this Christmas, then this should be a consideration.
Five Stars!
Information on differing features of Local and Continent Editions was provided by Bluebird Technology.
__________________
Happy birding,
Simon.
Last edited:
