For those who submit their bird sightings to eBird or would like to get started doing so, I’d like to recommend a recently released app for iPhone or Android that makes the process incredibly easy, fast and accurate. The app is called BirdsEye BirdLog – North America and it currently sells for $9.99 from the iTunes App store. (BTW, I have no association with the developer of this software or eBird). The big advantage of this app is that you can keep track and submit your checklist from the field on your smart phone.
When you open the program to collect data for an outing, the GPS will locate your position and allow you to pick a location from eBird Hot Spots, your personal sites or create a new site. It will also download a checklist appropriate for your area. You then enter bird sightings as you go. The entry process is very quick, especially if you know the standard 4 letter codes, and is cumulative. When you are finished birding that location, you hit submit, answer the other necessary eBird questions and you are done. It is not necessary to enter additional information from your home computer, although you can edit your list later, if you like. If you are at a site without internet connectivity, you can also collect sighting information offline, save it and enter your location data later for submission. Although I’ve only used the program four or five times to date, I have found that it works well and is easier than keeping a written list or trying to remember everything later. There are a few issues and improvements that I’m sure will be added as the program matures. For example, it is a bit of a battery hog, so you will want to start out with a well-charged battery and turn off the phone between entries. The app doesn’t keep track of your distance traveled, which would seem like a feasible and handy feature for future editions. However, overall I feel that it is really a great addition to the birding tools available today. I'd be happy to try to answer any back channel questions based on my limited experience with the app. Howard Towle Golden Valley, MN ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
