BirdTrack or eBird - Which and Why?

On 19th January I asked birdy Twitter a question which basically went like this:

If you want to submit bird records so that they contribute to a 'greater good', which of the following is best, and why: BirdTrack, eBird, Trektellen and/or any others?

The object of this post is to present a summary and discussion of the answers/comments I received. There were well over 50 respondents and, of those, at least 43 revealed which recording platform(s) they use currently...

Clearly the figures do not add up to 43, and that is because a few birders use more than one platform. Right now I am not going to say anything further about the four minority platforms (which are perhaps of more use to those with multi-taxa interests) or Trektellen (primarily a tool for recording static efforts like seawatching, vis-mig and nocmig) because by far the most fascinating aspect of this inquiry turned out to be the 'BirdTrack or eBird?' question. At least, it was to me, and likely will be to some readers too...

BirdTrack is run by the BTO of course, and eBird by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. Both have developed mobile apps designed for on-the-go data entry, and that is primarily the feature which interests me. But before I get on to that, a few observations...

 

BirdTrack

Several of the 16 BirdTrack users have evidently been submitting their records that way for some years. I sensed a measure of loyalty. One said, 'too late to change now'. Another admitted they had looked at eBird and thought it seemed better, but had invested a lot of time in their BirdTrack contributions. Interestingly, two BirdTrack users also input to eBird!

 

eBird

A few quotes from the 24 eBird users:

'...gets my vote as I can put all of my sound recordings there too.'

'...imo eBird is far superior on most fronts... It's also progressing at a much faster speed.'

'eBird has revolutionised my birding...'

'I really like the functionality and user-friendliness of eBird...'

'...I think [eBird] is more accessible, supports birders' interests better and is generally a joy to use.'

'...eBird is easy to use on the move + has great features.'

'[eBird] has transformed my birding habits and zeal for recording.'

'...eBird was an immediate joy to use, flexible, easy data inputting and great on a global scale with great search functions.'

I think the comments there speak for themselves.

 

Issues with BirdTrack

Especially telling was this: at least seven eBird users were ex-BirdTrack contributors. For a variety of reasons they had given up on BirdTrack. I shall let them explain:

'I had BirdTrack but didn't get on with it; changed to eBird and I get on very well...'

'...struggled with the site options of BirdTrack.' (echoed by other ex-BirdTrack users)

'I did try to use BirdTrack initially but found it clunky and not that user friendly, particularly in terms of the location/grid system set up.'

'I found eBird very simple to use over BirdTrack, which seemed convoluted in comparison...'

'There was something about BirdTrack that I found a right faff last time I tried, but can't remember what exactly.'

A few years ago I too tried BirdTrack and had problems setting up sites/locations because of a seemingly inflexible grid-based system. So much so that I gave up and ditched the app. Just recently I have tried the app (and the website) once again, and can confirm that this is no longer an issue. In my opinion it is now as easy to set up a birding location on BirdTrack as it is on eBird.

 

'Greater good'

At this point I would like to address an important consideration. Speaking for myself, if I am going to bother submitting records at all, I would like to think they are going to end up somewhere useful. I've just been told that the records I sent to the Dorset recorder on a spreadsheet a couple of weeks back have been uploaded to BirdTrack. Apart from confirming that I definitely need to find a better option than Microsoft Excel, I know that BirdTrack stuff goes straight to the BTO, so that's good, isn't it? Definitely 'somewhere useful'. What about eBird though? After all, eBird is American, right? Touching on this topic, the BirdTrack Twitter account kindly got involved, and answered the question in my original tweet (at the start of this post) thus...

Another respondent made a similar point:

'Regardless of personal preferences being debated here, and respective ease of input, 'greater good' has to be at national/local level, which would be BirdTrack.'

On the face of it these are both fair points, and deserve examination. Although not specifically stated, there is an implication that using eBird rather than BirdTrack is in some way less good. Is that true?

First of all, do eBird records get to the county recorder?

Yes they do. Like BirdTrack records, eBird records are accessible to, and used by, county recorders. At least, from the Twitter thread alone this is evidently the case in Dorset, Northants, Lincs and Kent, so I assume it is (or at least can be) true of any county/region. I also assume that means eBird data can be incorporated in a county database.

Are eBird records able to contribute to conservation initiatives?

Yes they are. For example, according to Alex Lees, eBird data goes to EuroBirdPortal and the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). In addition, eBird data apparently is freely accessible to anyone who wants it. Anyone. Excuse my simplistic view, but that surely includes the BTO?

A quote from the Northants recorder:

'As county recorder I download all records from BirdTrack, eBird and iRecord, as well as those [sent] directly to me. All records are saved and sent to the Northants Biodiversity Records Centre - they may be consulted as part of planning applications.'

The Northants Biodiversity Records Centre is one of nearly fifty county-based Local Environmental Records Centres operating accross the UK. This example suggests to me that eBird data is (or can be) used for conservation initiatives at local, national, continental and global level. I cannot help thinking that the BirdTrack = BTO = 'the only way if you want your records to count at local and national level' implication is a big, fat red herring.

Data accessibility

The issue of data accessibility is a bit of a hot topic for some. In a nutshell, eBird records are freely available to all, at no cost; BirdTrack records are potentially available, but rarely without charge, and not with ease. This, from an academic:

'As a researcher, it's much easier to get hold of data which is held by [eBird], which is treated as basically open source data. Other [organisations] tend to require a lot of entering into formal data sharing agreements and admin'

To be honest, as a simple birder this issue doesn't much concern me. However, one respondent made this point:

'...personally...I go with eBird - why? - because eBird is available for others to search fully - BirdTrack is not - eBird helps others find local birds.'

Declaration of disinterest

As mentioned above somewhere, I tried BirdTrack a few years ago but gave up on it because of problems with sites/locations - problems which no longer apply. In 2019 I had a go with the eBird app, made a few entries and likewise gave up. I don't remember why, but it was a time when my enthusiasm for birding was at a low ebb anyway, and any form of record-keeping would likely have been an intolerable chore. Anyway, basically I have no axe to grind. There was no hidden agenda in my Twitter question.

Conclusion

In years past my relationship with birding has been such that simply seeing birds and being happy with that was sufficient for me; I just could not be bothered (or even cope) with submitting records. My relationship with other taxa is like that now. Butterflies, dragonflies, moths, various insects and plants that I am not even fussed about putting a name to - I very rarely submit records for any of these. There is no guilt. Nor should there be. Simply interacting with nature is already a wonderful thing. However, for the last couple of years I have submitted bird records. But spreadsheets are a chore, and I hate them. So if there is a simple, user-friendly way to submit records and get something in return, I am interested. BirdTrack and eBird appear to offer such a facility. In the last couple of weeks I have tinkered with both the BirdTrack and eBird apps and websites. It is early days for me, but there are plenty who have been at it for some time. Forty-odd birders is not a massive sample, but their collective views make for interesting reading.

It isn't for me to say whether one is better than the other, but my brief experience already favours eBird. I'm happy enough that any data I enter into it will end up somewhere useful, despite the implication that a BTO project (BirdTrack) is the only 'proper' way to submit bird records in Britain (which for some reason really rubs me up the wrong way) and it is intuitively simple to use.

Finally, a couple of respondents pointed out that submitting 'complete' lists, breeding records, and all species at sites away from well-watched hotspots, were all more important than which platform is used.

Acknowledgements etc...

I am very grateful to the 55+ birders who troubled to comment in some way on my original Twitter question, and the one or two who got in touch via direct messages. It was an education.

And I should add: if you spot any factual errors in this post, please do let me know somehow. Thanks.

#LocalBigYear - January

Apart from work-related visits to the Axe patch and Kilmington WTW, the whole of January was #LocalBigYear birding. While I wasn't too fussed about chasing down tricky species I did make some effort for one or two. A generous tip-off gave me an easy Dipper, while Purple Sandpiper succumbed to sheer persistence. My first Lesser Scaup for 35 years was an unexpected rarity, and a local-tick Bearded Tit was an unexpected find. And that is pretty much how birding so often goes: some effort, some reward, a little gen, a little jam. My final outing of the month involved a couple of hours at West Bexington yesterday afternoon. Descending the slope to the bunting hedge I was thrilled to spot a jagged bunch of pointy feathers in twisty-turny pursuit of a Skylark high overhead. A female Merlin. I saw just one last year, a passage bird at West Bay on 2nd November, and it is a long time since I last watched a Merlin do that relentless, never-give-up pursuit thing. The protagonists eventually went out of view and I didn't get to witness the outcome. Merlin is my 89th species for 2022.

Shortly after the Merlin I got this instructive photo of a female Cirl Bunting with a female Yellowhammer...

Cirl on the left.

And just to complete the month's gallery...

Local Green Sandpiper on Saturday afternoon. One of two.

January was great. Here's to February...

Small Rewards

Lunchtime by the Axe Estuary and a leisurely pick through the gulls is a regular winter thing whenever I'm working in the area, and today was no exception. Lesser black-backed Gulls have been very few and far between, so a smart adult this afternoon was welcome, and reminded me that passage birds should be turning up in two or three weeks. And then I realised this bird looked really dark...

A lovely intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gull

A typical intermedius has a very crisp look, and makes a standard graellsii seem rather insipid. And when they take to the air, even better...

Like GBBG, not much contrast between the very dark slate-grey upperparts and black primaries.

I wonder what it's doing around here? Wintering, or an early migrant? Whatever, a pleasing reward for the ritual gull sifting. Nothing else stood out among the big 'uns, nor among the Commons and BHGs, so I spent a little more time with the intermedius...

The gull put me in a good mood. Good enough for another pop at the West Bay Purple Sandpiper before heading home. What's the worst that could happen? Another rebuff? Bring it on...

Approaching the end of the pier I could almost see the rock I photographed it on last year. January 27th that was, and likewise my umpteenth try. Today is January 28th; appropriately it was on the rock next door!

What a little cracker! I assume it's the same bird as last winter. Billy no-mates.

So there we go. Nothing fancy, just a nice bit of part-time birding...

Nah, Mate. Just the Usual...

Many years ago, in my first winter as a proper keen birder, I approached a wizened old geezer at Wraysbury Gravel Pits and innocently enquired, 'Anything about?'

He turned towards my friend Larry and me, paused for effect, and replied, 'Anything about? Anything about? Why, yes there is. That Song Thrush for example, and this nice flock of Tufted Ducks...'

And so it went on. Clearly my question had pressed a button which engaged some kind of 'bitter & twisted' mode and compelled him to lay into us for lacking appreciation of everyday birds in our headlong rush for rare and unusual. I must have been 22, and Larry I think still at school; this bloke was much older, though looking back, probably younger than I am now. When he'd said his piece, I explained how I'd only been birding a few months and come to understand the question 'anything about?' to be essentially a greeting, one birdwatcher to another, and an invitation to exchange sightings. In other words I was a novice, and hadn't deserved that tirade. He did soften somewhat, and ended up telling us about a nearby Red-necked Grebe. Result. However, mainly I remember the outburst...

My number one lesson from that day: Don't EVER be like wizened old geezer.

Another lesson from years ago. I was unsuccessfully twitching a Collared Flycatcher in Kent one evening. There was a crowd, and it was all a bit fraught. A handful of teeny birds high in the leafy canopy giving tantalising half-glimpses, but just one of them super-rare. Concentration was vital. A passing member of the public asked what all the fuss was about. With my eyes fixed above I sincerely hoped she hadn't been asking me personally, and pretended I hadn't heard. And then I listened, slightly ashamed, as Geoff Burton politely explained how there was this rare bird called a Collared Flycatcher, etc, etc...

My number one lesson from that day: Be more Geoff.

Sometimes when a birder asks if there's anything about, and you tell them about the nice birds you've just seen, their reaction can seem rather dismissive. Sure, they might not actually say, 'What?! Is that all? Why are you telling me about that trivial rubbish?' but it feels like they do. Sad, but it's their loss, isn't it?

This afternoon I tried the Puncknowle sewage works again. The Chiffchaffs weren't on the filter beds at all this time, but in the surrounding trees. Much trickier, but I did get a fairly brief look at the Sibe Chiff again. At least two or three Goldcrests were nice too, and perhaps the site will produce a Firecrest eventually. Still, bird of the afternoon was up in one of the trees, with a handful of other finches...

Female Brambling, tucked away a bit

I was dead jammy to pick it up, almost invisible among the branches. Very satisfying though, and a nice result for scanning through the tree properly. It did move around a bit later, and I got one more shot before it flew...

Had I chanced upon another birder shortly afterwards, and been asked if there was anything about, I would have related my Brambling encounter of course. And my tone would have betrayed the buzz I felt.

'Brambling? Oh, okay mate, yeah, seen millions this winter. They're everywhere aren't they?'

'Er...no,' is what I would have thought but not said.

So, a pleasant hour, and I followed it up with a visit to West Bay...

At West Bay it's not uncommon for members of the public to notice you peering around with bins and ask what you're doing. And I'm very glad of those valuable lessons of long ago, because they help me to reply in a polite and civil manner, instead of spitting out what's really in there:

'I'm looking for a poxy, stupid Purple Sandpiper, that's what!'

Which is exactly the bird I didn't see. Again.

Purposeful Birdwatching...or Not

The late Ian Wallace wrote an inspirational little book entitled Discover Birds (1979) which I devoured with enthusiasm in 1981. I've been a fan ever since. Wallace always encouraged 'purposeful birdwatching' (he probably coined that term) and that little primer planted all the seeds necessary for such: the need to take notes, to count, to describe; to record and report. In the ensuing four decades I am painfully aware how far away from that ideal I have mostly been. Purposeless birdwatching might better describe much of my participation in this hobby...

A wonderful introduction to birding. Worth seeking out even now, if only for the evocative account (and lovely illustrations) relating a magical spring day at Flamborough: 1st May, 1978.

Sure, I've had my moments. Periodic bursts of note-taking, counting and record submission. Just recently for example. Though I haven't used a physical notebook for years now, a notes app on my phone has done the trick, and today I emailed a 630-odd row spreadsheet to the Dorset Recorder. But I detest compiling spreadsheets, and have always found the whole process a dreadful chore. In a way, the tiresome administrative slog is a sacrifice I offer to try and offset the guilt of many years of no records at all. Yes, guilt. I hope I'm not alone here, and that at least a few other birders feel a similar twinge of conscience because they're bad at sending records in. Last year I wrote a post about Caspian Gulls in the West Country. Afterwards it was tactfully pointed out to me that four of 'my' Axe birds were not part of the Devon record, because I had never submitted them. Guilt galvanised me into writing four retrospective descriptions.

What I'm trying to get around to is this: I genuinely want to be a 'purposeful birdwatcher' - up to a point - but I also want it not to be a chore. I wish to enjoy it. Is that too much to ask? And so much the better if I get something out of it too.

To that end I've been investigating ways to contribute records directly - ideally while actually birding. At least two platforms I'm aware of - BirdTrack (run by the BTO) and eBird (run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the US) offer such a facility, and in a bid to find out how other birders got on with them (and/or other platforms) a few days ago I asked birdy Twitter...

The response was brilliant, and in a coming post I'll report back on the outcome, and what I am now doing as a result. Watch this space...

The Subtle and Interesting Stuff

Still a bit fragile, so didn't feel like going outdoors until late afternoon today, and fancied somewhere very quiet. How about Puncknowle WRC? A tiny, tucked-away sewage works, quite close to home. I've tried it a few times in the past, but not done better than a half-dozen or so Chiffs. Two winters ago I seemed to find Sibe Chiffs almost anywhere I tried, but Puncknowle WRC held out on me. Last winter was harder and I struggled for Sibes everywhere, with just one I think, at Kilmington. This year ditto, with a brief 'probable' at Kilmington the sum total.

Viewing at Puncknowle is tricky, but eventually I found some Chiffs visiting a nice, mossy filter bed, and clambered through the wooded surround to a reasonable spot by the perimeter fence. I could see maybe half the filter bed, and settled down to enjoy the Chiffy comings and goings. It was very therapeutic to watch the Chiffs, as well as Blackbirds, a Song Thrush, Dunnocks, Pied and Grey Wagtails poke about in the coarse gravel and dodge a soaking from the slowly-rotating sprinkler arms. Two or three times I had brief views of what looked a suspiciously pale Chiff, but on each occasion it flicked out of sight before I could properly take it in. Finally...

Not the best photos, but that's it at the back, with standard collybita Chiffs front and right. It looks pretty good for Sibe Chiff to my eye, and certainly did in the field.

Very pleased I made the effort. There were 8+ Chiffs in total, which is more than I've previously counted at Puncknowle. Definitely worth another visit I think.

I've not gone crazy with work this last week, but was pretty knackered by close of play yesterday. Still, I couldn't go home without giving the Axe Estuary a cursory look. When sifting the big gulls, basically I am looking for white-headed youngsters - Caspian Gull candidates. Very quickly I came across this interesting beast...

It certainly has an arresting look. The pale head, and grey/brown/black plumage as you move from scaps to coverts to primaries is very typical of a 1st-winter Casp. Hmmm... 

Here's a photo with a 1st-winter Herring Gull in shot. The difference is pretty obvious...

That's a pretty bog-standard 1st-winter HG on the left. Very different aren't they?

Structurally it was a small bird - smaller than most HGs - though attenuated, with quite a long primary projection. The coverts all looked quite worn, though largely plain, i.e. Casp-ish, rather than the more checquered look of HG. The tertials maybe didn't look too bad for Casp either. But there were still some retained juv lower scaps (not good for Casp) and the head and bill just didn't have a Caspy vibe. The bill was pointy, not blunt, with quite a prominent gonys for a small bird. The scapular markings were a bit coarse for Casp, though possibly not a deal-breaker on a better bird.

After watching it for a while, and realising I was on to a loser, I swung away and checked the other gulls present. Finding nothing else of interest I came back to it, hoping for a flash of open wing and tail. In the 40 minutes it took me to chill off to the point of defeat, it flapped once! For the tiny number of readers who might like this kind of stuff, here are a few more pics...

Again with a standard 1st-winter HG

On a typical Casp the inner primaries would have much darker outer webs I think. Can't quite make out whether the underwing is particularly pale or not. Unfortunately I didn't manage a shot of the tail.

So there you go. He shoots; he doesn't score. Though I might be wrong, I cannot see this bird being just a straightforward Herring Gull, and it certainly isn't a happy-making Casp. Hybrid? You decide.

Again - as is so often the case with gulls - despite there being no obvious goodies out there yesterday afternoon, the dross provided its own entertainment.

Always look at...

And finally, this is where the local Penduline Tits will be. Possibly...

It is built, but will they come?

Bogey Bird Bites Dust

On Tuesday I finally made it to the Seaton area. I already knew the four Glossy Ibis were still present, but was in no rush to visit them. I wanted the sun to get round a bit first, so they could live up to their name properly. A morning's work was followed by a lingering look at lots of Larids. All dross. On to the ibis then. The early-morning gen had them almost within touching distance of the cycle path, by the church. This was going to be good.

I certainly didn't need bins. Glossy Ibis are easily identifiable with the naked eye. Especially when very close, like they were first thing. And, yes, even when distant dots, like they were right now. Sigh... They couldn't have been any further away while still being in the same field. And in the short time I had available they basically did nothing but eat...

One accidentally has its head visible here

Standard pose.

A bonus Dark-bellied Brent was nice...

A fairly unusual sight on the Axe

It was good to bump into Tim and Sue, a couple of the Axe regulars. Such a nice vibe among the local birders there.

So, on to yesterday afternoon and the meaning of this post's title...

Bearded Tit is a species I have seen just once since living in the Southwest. And that was in Hyde Park during a trip to London! In other words: zero local birds. I've had chances, but failed to connect. Beardy is a scarce bird locally, for sure. Evidently more regular at West Bex and Cogden than on the Axe, but I've missed them there too. I've missed them everywhere, and feel like the only long(ish)-time local birder who hasn't seen one. Mind you, I've never been too frantic about twitching them because I'd much prefer to find my own. Well...

Mid-afternoon I was sploshing around a West Bexington spot in search of #LocalBigYear ticks, specifically Common Snipe and Jack Snipe. Common Snipe was quick and easy (and expected) but soon enough a Jack Snipe (hoped for but not expected) popped up too, and I watched it come down in an area of short grass and a bit of Juncus. I'd seen exactly where it landed, and fancied my chances of an on-the-deck experience if I was careful. So I began edging my way over there, along the side of some reeds. Suddenly a small, annoyed thing burst from the reeds with a staccato volley of 'pings', landing just a few yards away. Bearded Tit! The sun was in my eyes but a quick look with bins confirmed it was a female. It looked jittery, so if I was going to get a photo, now was the time. I could barely see through the camera for glare, so basically guessed where it was and got two short bursts before it flew. This is the best shot...

Female Bearded Tit at West Bex

I don't know who discovered the Beardies I saw in Hyde Park that time, but I reckon I have a good idea how they felt. Well, almost. I suppose West Bex isn't Central London, is it?! Still, local birding definitely adds value to birds that might be fairly commonplace elsewhere.

I saw (and heard) the Beardy a few times after that, but it didn't perch up for me again. I never did see that Jack Snipe on the deck though, but found a second some time later. So, Bearded Tit, 2 Jack Snipe, 19 Common Snipe, singles of Chiffchaff and Goldcrest. Not bad. Not bad at all.