Entering your survey data on the NatureCounts browser data entry:

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If you are on the “Form Header” page, enter the survey date and name of your assistants. To add names to the list click on “Add observers”. Save any changes you make and click “Return to data form”. Then select the appropriate box or boxes to add assistants to your form. You do not need to include your name as you are automatically associated with the form.

 

Next enter the start and end temperatures recorded during the survey. Use numbers only, not text.

 

Add general survey or route comments to the “Comments” box. There are additional comments boxes on each station page.

 

Once the page is completed, click on “Next Page”. This will save the Form Header and open the sheet for your first survey stop (called station on these forms).

 

If you are on a “Station” data page, use the “Station” box to select the stop you are submitting data for. The first station, will normally be “Stop 1”, but if you ran your route in reverse order, it will be “Stop 12” (for standard routes). If you did not collect data from a stop, take this into account (e.g., if you did not survey Stop 4 but did survey Stop 5, on the Station 4 page you would select Stop 5 and continue from there).

 

“Time and Effort”: use the24 hour clock to indicate the start time at each stop.

 

“Weather and Survey Conditions”: enter wind speed and direction, and cloud cover using tenths of sky covered (1=10% covered, etc.).

 

“Other Variables”: enter whether the moon was visible (“Y”) or not (“N”), the number of vehicles that passed (enter 0 if there were none), and the noise level.

 

“List of Species”: if there were no nightjars at a stop, tick the box indicating this. If you did record nightjars, use one row per individual. Select the species and then note the highest code recorded for the individual during each time periods. From highest to lowest these are: “W-Wing-boom” (for Common Nighthawk only), “C-Call”, “V-Visual” and “N-Not detected”. Indicate the distance (< or > 100 m) and direction to initial detections of Common Poorwills and Eastern Whip-poor-wills, or to Common Nighthawks that performed three or more wing-booms. If you are reporting an individual heard from a previous stop, tick the “Repeat” box, but don’t use this box to indicate a bird calling multiple times at the stop.

 

You can note other species recorded (e.g., owls) and stop-specific notes in the comments box.

 

Once the page is completed, click “Next Page”, this saves your data and opens the page for the next stop.

 

Complete this process for the number stops you surveyed. Once you have entered the data for all your stops, click “Finish Form”. Your form will be submitted. Please check the summary for errors. If there are none, you can log out. If you need to make corrections, click “Modify” and go to the page you want to correct using the “Jump To” box at the top of the page, make the correction and click “Finish Form”.

 

If you need to stop during the data entry process, complete the page you are working on, “Save” and log out. When you are ready to complete the form, consult the survey Protocol to learn how to access and finish a partially completed form.