Birding News and Features
Birders have asked for eBird functionality that allows one to back up their data on home computers. We have built a tool for this, and are pleased to announce its release. We've recently added the ability for users to retrieve a file containing all the data they've ever entered into eBird in spreadsheet format, which can be easily read using Microsoft Excel, manipulated and analyzed using tools outside eBird, and saved and stored on your home computers. This new tool gives users the ability to analyze their own raw data, to look at patterns in their own observations beyond what the eBird View and Explore data tools now provide. The idea is to make eBird as versatile as possible, and give you the raw data in order to allow you to perform your own data exploration! Click on the link above for more information.
Top eBird Contributors for 2008
We'd like to thank the top eBird checklist contributors for 2008. The following list includes those individuals who have entered or uploaded more than 200 Canadian eBird checklists this year. Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists--6737; Luc Blanchette--1941; Northwest Territories-Nunavut Checklist Program--1516; Ben Schonewille--877; Rita Wege--800; Richard Cannings--749; Brian Self--597; Roger Burrows--511; Mark Cranford--505; Christopher Harris--478; Mike Burrell--416; James Hirtle--293; Greg Kratzig--278; Robert Laker--270; Lynn Bieber-Weir--257; Michelle & Curtis Manly--254; Bonnie Hawkes--237; Ted Hillary--225.
Photo: Pileated Woodpecker/ Ralph Hocken
New eBird Output for Arrivals, Departures, and High Counts
We are pleased to announce the release of several new eBird output tools featuring Arrivals, Departures and High Counts. These tools provide birders with new ways to explore the eBird data, to learn when and where birds are being reported and to get a better sense of eBird's historic data. Are you curious about how many species birders have reported in your province this year? Do you want to know if your April 1st Turkey Vulture was the earliest record last year, or perhaps even the earliest eBird record ever for Nova Scotia? Or do you want to know if the 1700 Common Redpolls you saw five years ago was the all-time high count reported to eBird for Ontario? Exploring the answers to these questions is now possible within eBird. Simply log in to eBird, go to 'View and Explore Data,' and then try out the 'Arrivals and Departures' or 'High Counts' options. These new tools allow you to dig deeper into the eBird database than ever before! Click on the link above for more details. Photo: Flammulated Owl/Dick Cannings
eBird Data Import Tool Released!
We are happy to announce that we have officially released the eBird Data Import Tool. Many users have been asking how we can bulk load their existing sightings that are kept on their home computers in various file types. This tool is designed to bring in data from Excel files or other similarly structured datasets. We have created two file formats that we feel conform well to the types of data people typically store. If you have data stored in Excel or a similar format, and you would like to upload those records to eBird then please click the headline link or photo. Swainson's Thrush/Ralph Hocken
BC Breeding Bird Atlas underway!
British Columbia birders have an exciting five years ahead of them with the announcement of a new Breeding Bird Atlas project starting this spring. Atlassing is known to be an addictive pastime, so hopefully birders from across the continent will take their summer holidays in BC to help out in this massive undertaking. For more information, click on the headline link or the photo. Rufous Hummingbird female/Ralph Hocken
Birds of North America Online Discounts for eBird Users
In appreciation to those who have contributed to eBird during the past year, we are pleased to offer special discounted full subscriptions to the acclaimed bird life history resource: Birds of North America Online . This comprehensive resource includes information on distribution, breeding, migration, habitats, and behavior for over 700 different species of birds that breed in Canada and the United States. The accounts include photos and audio selections for all species covered. Birds of North America Online is now available at the discounted rate of US$25 for one year or US$50 for two years. Click the above link to find out more.
Photo: Greater Yellowlegs/Ralph Hocken
eBird Canada Launches Rare Bird Google Gadget
Imagine having all the reports of rare birds entered into eBird in your home province delivered straight to your desktop! That's exactly what the new eBird Rare Bird Gadget does! We've developed a Google Gadget to deliver rare bird sightings straight to your desktop including important details such as observer information and mapping information! Any record submitted to eBird that requires the user to click the "Rare species" link on the checklist page will now appear on the rare bird gadget. You'll know within minutes when someone reports a great bird in your region. Click on the headline link to find out more about how to use the eBird Rare Bird gadget. Yellow-billed Loon/Ralph Hocken
We've just launched an updated version of Google Maps that not only shows you where eBird birding hotspots and your personal locations are found on the map, but it also allows you to select these for data entry directly from the map! With over 15,000 hotspots now in our database, you should be able to easily find an exciting birding location near you and efficiently contribute your data. If your local hotspots still aren't there, you can always map them and send them on to us through our hotspot suggestion interface. Plotting new locations on the map still works like it used to, but the added bonus of selecting hotspots should make data entry even easier. Read more by clicking the link above.
Young Canadian birder embarks on fossil-fuel-free Big Year
Fifteen-year-old Malkolm Boothroyd and his parents Ken and Wendy have set out from their home in the Yukon for a year-long journey in support of bird conservation. Their sixteen-thousand-kilometre fossil-fuel-free journey--by bike, boat and boots--will take them south to California, then east through Texas to Florida, with funds raised going to a variety of conservation organizations. Malkolm will be entering his bird sightings from this trip into eBird Canada. For more information on this epic project, click on the link above.
eBird Canada would like to thank the photographers who provided the fabulous images for the banners at the top of each web page and throughout the website. The Snowy Owl photo was taken by Gord Court, the American Golden-Plover and birding crowd by Ron Ridout and the Spotted Sandpiper, Long-tailed Duck and Rufous Hummingbird by Ralph Hocken. You can enjoy more of Ralph's stunning bird images at this address. Photo: Bewick's Wren / Ralph Hocken.