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BACK TO THE MANCHESTER BIRDING WEBSITE HOMEPAGE -> Manchester Birding Forum -> GREATER MANCHESTER NEEDS YOUR BIRD SIGHTINGS -> GREATER MANCHESTER NEEDS YOUR BIRD SIGHTINGS
Post Info TOPIC: GREATER MANCHESTER NEEDS YOUR BIRD SIGHTINGS
Ian McKerchar


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RE: GREATER MANCHESTER NEEDS YOUR BIRD SIGHTINGS
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I created this forum in 2006 with the sole intention of bringing the county’s birders together and giving us somewhere to let others know what we were seeing. Many of us will remember how the county was in the pre-forum days and so its current success is obvious to see and I thank you all for that. The wealth of bird sightings on here is fantastic and as a county birding forum it cannot be bettered in the UK which I am and I hope you are, very proud of.

Sightings on this forum are not taken off it and used for official county recording though and so the vast majority of the sightings on here are, in ornithological terms, useless. Yes, we know what’s about and where we can go out and see them but they have no value towards protecting the birds and the habitats they occupy in Greater Manchester.

As County Recorder I am striving to change this and would ask all users of this forum to consider formally submitting their records to me. In the time it takes you to type out your sightings on this forum you could have recorded them in preparation for sending them to me too; it can be that simple. The number of registered birders on this forum has surprised even me and so many new birders is great to see, yet submission of bird records declines year on year. I personally pay the not-inconsiderable monthly fee for hosting the forum, always have done, and all I now ask in return is that you please use your sightings in a positive manner and submit them to me. They will go towards many conservation issues both within our own county and wider issues, which could mean saving your local patch in the future and they will also contribute towards the annual county bird report so you can see your sightings (and name) in print too.

That we still have so much to learn about the distribution and status of our county’s birds could be so easily improved by using your sightings in this manner. We have the best county birding forum in the UK. The new county bird report will put us in the running with amongst the very best but could be so easily improved by more submission of records which have steadily declined over the years. We have more active birders than most other counties too, with an excellent coverage of our county yet many sites have no or little ornithological history. So please get involved and make your birding count. We have the opportunity to make the birds and birding in this little inland county of Greater Manchester something really special; so join in and please get involved.

I am always available to discuss any aspect of bird record submission, including your individual requirements, so please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Ian (07958 687481).


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Ian McKerchar


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Posts: 15811
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There are 4 methods of record submission for your county sightings.

1. MapMate Biological Recording Software- this is the most efficient method for both you and I. Inputting data for you is simple as is sending that data to us. For your part, the software offers you easy reference of all your sightings in any manner you require (both in Greater Manchester and around the UK); the chance to record all other forms of wildlife too; to create excellent maps of the location of all your sightings; and much, much more. Normally the software is £32 but I have a limited number of MapMate packages free of charge, which will initially go to birders supplying larger numbers of records.

2. RODiS 'on-line' data submission- this convenient and efficient method allows users to input bird sightings on-line, which are then utilised not only by the Greater Manchester Bird Recording Group but also by the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit for their essential work in preserving and increasing Site of Biological Importance within our county. The on-line RODiS data entry form can be found via the link on the header of this forum.

3. Excel Recording File- this is available for download from the Manchester Birding website and has been for many years now and is used by many birders to good effect. Its continued use is warmly welcomed. It is relatively easy to use, enables you to reference your sightings and is compatible with the county database.

4. For single important records only (scarce/rare species, large flocks, important breeding occurrences etc) from birders who do little birding in the county or do not keep records, I will gladly accept emailed details which I will input myself. This is very time consuming for me though and so birders submitting regular sightings should seek one of the above two options.

Please contact me for further details of any of the above methods of record submission.


-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Monday 19th of November 2012 01:00:44 PM

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This forum is dedicated to the memory of Eva Janice McKerchar.