Wildlife recording/diary thing

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by JeffH

But I don't keep a life or annual tick lists anymore (except for a garden list - for a talk/possible book I'm working on )

Look forward to that!

Nige

[artdemole]

Originally Posted by htcdude

Thanks all for the suggestions!

For some reason I do prefer just having a hard copy of things like sightings/recordings, so I'll keep an eye out for a decent sized diary and just use a plain pad for now.

I don't think I'd have time to transfer it all to electronics at the moment

Thanks!

Nige

Scan Diary to a file for reference may help.

[Paul mabbott]

Depends very much on what you're doing. The requirements vary greatly for someone sitting in a nice dry hide listing a few species of bird to someone rummaging round in soil and leaf litter counting hundreds of invertebrates and often taking specimens. In the latter case I use any old notebook writing with pencil (unless you're a fairweather ecologist!). When I got home or the next day (after that time, I can't read or understand the notes) I would type up the location information, weather detail, summary of activity and notes of specimens taken: then write up the data (species, numbers, &c) in a spreadsheet and, of course, labelling any specimens with cross-reference number to the spreadsheet.
Since getting a digital camera, I've given up a lot of note-taking and workbook entry since I can take pictures of the location (shows environment, weather and any other interesting features/conditions) - just need to cross-link the photo files to the spreadsheet.
So, it depends upon what you need ......

[Jim Ford]

I'm a 'technophile' but I always told the students at the school where I used to work, that if you're going to the South Pole or the top of Everest, your best bet is a pencil and paper. It's no good getting to a difficult place, only to find the batteries are flat or you've left behind an essential lead for your electronic 'gizmo'!

In a similar vein, a couple of years back I was on the Cairngorm Plateau in nasty conditions. It was cold with driving rain and mist. I became disorientated and tried to use my GPS to get my bearings. Because of the cold, the display was blacked out and I couldn't adjust the contrast because the menus were also blacked out. Sitting quietly at home I could easily have done it, but in those conditions I gave up and got my compass out - which got me out of trouble.

Jim

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by htcdude

Look forward to that! Nige

Cheers Nige

My work on the illustrated talk (entitled 'Through the Year in a Nature Photographer's Garden') is well advanced but I need to crack on with it over the next few weeks as I already have 4 bookings for it early in the New Year!

As for the "possible book" - don't hold your breath as that's a longer term project and may not come to fruition. We'll see

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by JeffH

Cheers Nige

My work on the illustrated talk (entitled 'Through the Year in a Nature Photographer's Garden') is well advanced but I need to crack on with it over the next few weeks as I already have 4 bookings for it early in the New Year!

As for the "possible book" - don't hold your breath as that's a longer term project and may not come to fruition. We'll see

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)

Ah well hopefully I've got plenty of years ahead of me to wait for it

[JeffH]

Originally Posted by htcdude

Ah well hopefully I've got plenty of years ahead of me to wait for it

I certainly hope so Nige - for you and me both

Jeff
(Schedule 1 Licence holder for Kingfishers, Barn Owls and Avocets)