How many WABBERS report their sightings?

[Deb London]

I don't mean to exclude people, but this is not a question aimed at the WABBERS who are experts and/or professionals, as you will know all about this sort of thing, and probably know your nearest 10 Watsonian vice-county numbers off by heart. . It's aimed at the members who have never considered reporting what they see. Members a bit like me.

The reason I ask is because I was spurred on to report something to GiGL (Greenspace Information for Greater London) recently. Someone I met at a local nature reserve passed on my details to GiGL, and then a fellow WABBER encouraged me too. I'm the sort of person who hates to waste people's time by doing something that I think would be 'making a nuisance of myself'. But the lady at GiGL was more than helpful and encouraging and explained that even 'unvalidated' reports can be used, and possibles reported as long as they are flagged as such.

Now I'm interested in pursuing what might become a very absorbing facet to my existing 'amateur naturalist' (very amateur ) activities.

So, what do other people here do?

[Susie]

I report my butterfly sightings, some dragonflies and anything else which I think is unusual.

I report to either Butterfly Conservation or the local county recorder.

What I should really do though is post all the usual stuff too, so a record is kept of the commoner species. It is suprising how often the everyday critters become rarer and unless there is a record of how many there were we won't know how many have been lost.

[aeshna5]

I would prefer people to send sightings to local recorders first rather than to GIGL direct so that the recorders are in a better position to validate the records as they will be experts in their taxa.

Recorders from the London Natural History Society are then obliged to forward records to GIGL + these records will have been vetted + can then be added to the database.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I would prefer people to send sightings to local recorders first rather than to GIGL direct so that the recorders are in a better position to validate the records as they will be experts in their taxa.

Recorders from the London Natural History Society are then obliged to forward records to GIGL + these records will have been vetted + can then be added to the database.

Thanks aeshna5. How are they to be vetted? My camera is not brilliant and often I prefer to observe without rummaging around for my camera. Good info. though.

However, the species that I have recorded didn't have any recorders that I am aware of, I contacted someone in the LNHS to find this out. I'm glad it went somewhere as the person I told about the records I had said something along the lines of "send them IMMEDIATELY" as they helped some case or other. Not sure what - something about a new rugby pitch. That it got me to thinking, time might sometimes be of the essence and I'm not the one to judge.

Two knowledgeable people have advised I use GiGL. One was my volunteer leader who almost told me off, but then again, I can send them through him. But he is quite slow and very busy campaigning most of the time.

[Deb London]

Originally Posted by Susie

I report my butterfly sightings, some dragonflies and anything else which I think is unusual.

I report to either Butterfly Conservation or the local county recorder.

What I should really do though is post all the usual stuff too, so a record is kept of the commoner species. It is suprising how often the everyday critters become rarer and unless there is a record of how many there were we won't know how many have been lost.

Hi susie, yes that was another point I wanted to ask. Are common records any use. I can do some of those species and be confident.

[RoyW]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I would prefer people to send sightings to local recorders first rather than to GIGL direct so that the recorders are in a better position to validate the records as they will be experts in their taxa.

Recorders from the London Natural History Society are then obliged to forward records to GIGL + these records will have been vetted + can then be added to the database.

Seconded! (and this doesn't only apply to London, in other counties it is also preferable to send records directly to county recorders rather than direct to the counties biological record centre).

While unvalidated records may be better than nothing, validated records are far more use - and in some cases county recorders may be able to follow up 'possible' reports and confirm the presence of the species concerned.

Some people dislike being asked to support their observations with a description/photograph/specimen, and it can sometimes be disheartening if your record isn't 'accepted', but it is nothing personal, it is just to keep records as accurate as possible (which makes them more valuable scientifically).

[Deb London]

Ahh, so a description will do? Cheers Roy.

[Susie]

Absolutely!

[Gill Catton]

I tend to send records in for unusual things like Cettis warblers or long-winged coneheads which are slowing increasing their range or things that might be of interest to experts who might like to take a closer look like a colony of solitary bees etc...

I tend to send to local recorders too or local biological records centres.

[Red Robin]

Originally Posted by RoyW

While unvalidated records may be better than nothing, validated records are far more use - and in some cases county recorders may be able to follow up 'possible' reports and confirm the presence of the species concerned.

Some people dislike being asked to support their observations with a description/photograph/specimen, and it can sometimes be disheartening if your record isn't 'accepted', but it is nothing personal, it is just to keep records as accurate as possible (which makes them more valuable scientifically).

....The fact that so many observations are not able to be supported/submitted with a description/photograph/specimen raises the question of what species populations actually exist here. I'm not against scientific records being collected but as they are so dependent they perhaps can't always be described as accurate.

If I see something which I think is rare I consider it to be the gift of a very special moment/encounter and reporting it is not uppermost in my mind.