How do you record non-bird wildlife? (1 Viewer)

[jurek]

How do you record wildlife other than birds? Mammals, insects, etc?

 

[maplekong]

This is interesting. By record, what do you mean? Audio? Video? Or listing species?

 

[Owene]

igoterra

 

[Mike Crawley]

If you mean simply making a record - easy, everything goes into my birding diary. If, in the distant future, I want to "upgrade" to a mammal or insect recording piece of software I’ll just go back to my paper records.

 

[jurek]

I mean listing.

 

[pppppvvvv]

inaturalist is good for global records. The auto id is pretty good (maybe not quite as good as obsidentify), and it has a good community to confirm your sightings.

 

[Stonefaction]

Birdjournal has checklists for those insects I do pay (some) attention to - butterflies, moths, hoverflies, dragonflies, bumblebees, as well as mammals, amphibians, reptiles and cetaceans etc. However, you'd have to see if there is a taxonomy list/checklist for the locations you plan to use it for - though it is also possible to create and upload your own checklists to the library for everyone to use (if you have the time/patience etc). UK has very good coverage, with Europe also having fairly decent coverage. Other locations maybe less so.

 

[awiner]

Strong agree for iNaturalist as an excellent online option. The big downside is that to have a "real" record - one where other people can agree (or disagree) with your ID, you need to have evidence, typically a picture. That's frustrating for things like butterflies which often sit still until a few milliseconds before you get the camera focused. 😭

For desktop record keeping, I'll throw Scythebill (my free software) in for consideration as well. Lots of non-avian taxonomies and (spoiler alert) a Butterflies of the World taxonomy will be showing up soon. (There's already North American and European butterfly taxonomies.)

 

[Stuart Goodwin]

Afternoon.

Has anyone heard anything from Birdjournal about updates/ software development? I posted a Twitter message to them but no reply.

The software still works well but, to me, the data analysis/ dashboards have been left behind by INaturalist & Irecord.

Regards

 

[Stonefaction]

Afternoon.

Has anyone heard anything from Birdjournal about updates/ software development? I posted a Twitter message to them but no reply.

The software still works well but, to me, the data analysis/ dashboards have been left behind by INaturalist & Irecord.

Regards

Just had a look at the website/blog, as well as Facebook/Twitter. Most recent activity seems to be on Twitter (June 2022), which is concerning as customer support was very quick, and exceedingly helpful previously (when required). I find Birdjournal quick and easy to use and would hate to have to move to another app/site given I have ALL my birding records on BirdJournal, as I've not been impressed with those I've tried.

 

[Xenospiza]

observation.org for all my non-bird stuff, also in an access database for myself.

 

[Stuart Goodwin]

Just had a look at the website/blog, as well as Facebook/Twitter. Most recent activity seems to be on Twitter (June 2022), which is concerning as customer support was very quick, and exceedingly helpful previously (when required). I find Birdjournal quick and easy to use and would hate to have to move to another app/site given I have ALL my birding records on BirdJournal, as I've not been impressed with those I've tried.

Afternoon.

Completety agree about moving across to another software package. I haven’t found a package where I can add my field notes tide, weather, missed species etc to an entry.

I’m a premium member, for the additional non-birding access, so lets see if they take next year’s subscription out.

Regards

 

[Peregrine Took]

I commit everything to memory - whether it's birds or any other wildlife. Why do we have to list everything? I guess I'm asking the wrong people.
.

 

[Stonefaction]

I commit everything to memory - whether it's birds or any other wildlife. Why do we have to list everything? I guess I'm asking the wrong people.
.

You don't HAVE to. I can remember what I've seen and more or less the exact location (often down to the exact tree/bush/rock), but I can't remember exactly when for every sighting, so having a list in an app helps me reference when I might expect to cross paths with species seen previously etc. Also, memory isn't permanent, nor perfect....as I'm discovering more and more as the years pass.

 

[01101001]

I commit everything to memory - whether it's birds or any other wildlife. Why do we have to list everything? I guess I'm asking the wrong people.
.

I'm usually too lazy, anyway--unless something interesting crops up that I want to have on my personal list/add to the hotspot list, or I've travelled a long way and don't want it to be for nothing.