My Views on Birding Apps

I've been an Apple user since my Blackberry failed it's swimming test when out birding around the time they came out with the third iPhone.  Until recently I was a confirmed Apple addict, now not so much.  Is it just me or has Apple become overtly money grabbing, it seems that these days they always have their hands in my pocket, and not offering much in the way of innovation for the last couple of phones.  They used to "just work" now the operating system has become more and more complex, so I find myself not bothering with all the more burdensome features. However, one area I do use a lot are the Nature apps and more specifically birding apps.

I currently use a Windows 10 PC, an iPhone 6Plus and an iPad Pro both in 128Gb.  In as much as possible all my nature apps are set up the same on both devices, and the PC is used to hold all the master records and photos.  The phone goes birding with me and the iPad is used much like a laptop, and the PC is the huge screen on my desk that the kids occasionally let me use.

I feel birding apps into one of three categories with some overlap possible, though most only do one of the three categories well.  The categories are:

Bird listing and recording

Bird finding

Bird Identification

BIRD LISTING AND RECORDING

So starting with Bird Listing and Recording apps.  I think the choice for decent apps is very small depending on what the end product is going to be.  Do you want a detailed list, is it purely for your own use or will your sightings also be used by a citizen science database.  Are you recording a straightforward list of birds seen and possibly the number, or are you accurately recording precise locations, age, sex, etc etc.

Living in the US (Texas), I report practically every outing  and sighting in eBird and have been doing so since Jan 2004, and I do the same for my visits to U.K. though my first records only started in 2009. I also maintain my own list of sightings so compatibility is a big deal if I want to keep two sets of essentially the same data. Why would I want to do that?  What happens if my database dies or the company goes out of business, or what happens if eBird ceases to exist. All those records gone, would I have the motivation to start again?

There are only two apps that I fulfill my requirements for use in the field and they are Bird Journal and eBird.

Bird Journal

I believe that this is the complete integrated solution or close to it.  Bird Journal is an app that runs on PCs, iPads, iPhones and Android equivalents. But it is more than just an App, when it's installed on the PC it's a powerful database containing all my sightings, mapping software, 1,000s of my photographs and other related data.  It can be configured to also and simultaneously hold mammal, butterfly and plant data. Special mention should be made of the reporting and filtering capabilities that have been built into the PC version, it truly is outstanding and intuitive. You can cut and dice your data any way you choose with drop down menus by just about any criteria you can think of. When it's installed on the phone the software records in eBird exportable format and any additional custom fields that you choose.  There are checklists for just about every country and region from Afghanistan, to Antarctica to Anglesey.  All the data input whilst in the field is automatically backed up on the Bird Journal servers and magically appears on the iPad and PC as soon as the list is submitted.  It's also robust, bug free and fast.  Entry is intuitive and the whole app is easy to use.  The iPad version is optimized for the iPad and is a close copy to what is on the phone.  To be balanced, if I were to criticize, it would be that I would prefer the iPad version to be the same as the PC version.  However, and in fairness, I have enough stored photos in the PC version to fill my iPad several times over.  The company would need to come up with some kind of photo compression and also have the server speed and space required to run everything at the speed we have become accustomed to.  This is a solid 9.5 / 10 piece of software.

eBird

As the name suggests this is the eBird designed data entry app and it that respect, if you enter data in eBird, it is the best there is.     Download it, turn it on, log in, and hit start. It doesn't get more simple than that, yet this is no simple app. When you are in the field you can choose your current location, an eBird 'Hotspot" or create a personal location. Some thought should be given to your selection as what you choose will impact where your data is recorded and how it is retrieved.   For example, if you are in a State Park and it's an existing hotspot, setting up a personal location could mean that your sighting will not be recorded to the tally for the State Park, which makes data retrieval for an all encompassing report more complex than it would need to be. Once you have selected your location, the app automatically creates a checklist of likely birds.  If you have big fat fingers like me and hit albatross rather than anhinga the App will notify you that this is a RARE species for the area and you will be invited to add comments and confirm your sighting.  As this App updates eBird you can see the fruits of your endeavors online.  Although the App does not have the ability to upload photographs, once you are back at home, you can download any photos to your PC then upload to your eBird sighting at your convenience.


BIRD FINDING

Of the Bird finding Apps I find the best to be the "BirdsEye" family of Apps.  I currently have three of these installed on my phone.  The original Birdseye for worldwide sightings, BirdsEye NA and even the Birdseye Texas OS .  The premise and the execution of these Apps is straightforward, BirdsEye is linked to your eBird account.  It knows what birds you have seen at any given hotspot of point, County, State and Country.  Click on "Nearby" (as defined by you as a radius from your position), it will give you a list of all Nearby sighting, Recent sightings (number of days determined by you) and Needs (as determined from your eBird sightings).  You can also browse by Name or by Location, it also has a list of Notable birds and your year list (you set the Region).  So if it has been reported to eBird you can find it.  When you see a bird you want to chase or a location that you are interested in from the map, just press of the map pins and you have the chance to get directions to the site and the App will tell you how long ago the sighting took place.  You can review the whole eBird report on the Notable birds as it was submitted by the observer.  One other nice feature is the ability to click on some icons that will take you to a description of the bird, photos, Wikipedia etc.   These are incredibly well thought out and stable Apps.  Friday will often see me reviewing various places I like to visit to see what's been turning up recently, so that I can maximize my time on the weekend.  It doesn't guarantee good birds but it will put you right where they have been seen recently and give you the best chance.

BIRD IDENTIFICATION

Confession time, I currently have 14 Bird identification Apps on my phone.  Do I really need all of them? Hell No, I just like them.  How many do I use on a regular basis? Three............
and they are all versions of the respective books with audio (good audio) thrown in.

Sibley Birds
National Geographic
Peterson

I use these because I use the books, I imagine every birder has two of the three, most probably have all three.  Between the three there's not much you can't identify, sure there are other good ID guides but these three have an already good reputation gained from their books, they won't risk that by producing poor quality and inaccurate Apps.  Second confession......I try not to use books or Apps in the field, I used to take notes and sketches now I just point the monster lens and shoot until it flies away or I cover all the angles I can.  I think it's much easier to identify anything on a large screen in the comfort of the house then finish off my sighting list followed by submitting photos.   Flicking through the pages of a book, looking through Binos, checking the pages again, can lead to snap judgments and even quicker to embarrassment. Of course, not everyone wants to lug 14lbs of camera gear with them, so that's where the Apps come in.  For those that don't have an ethical or legal reason, the audio can be used to lure in target birds, it's even easier now with Bluetooth speakers.  But it's even more crap to carry around with you.

There are a few more specialized Apps I use:

Collins Bird Guide (from the awesome book - great for European visitors)
Heads Up - North American Sparrow Guide
Warbler Guide from Princeton  (The bible for Warblers)
Peterson Warblers (the name says it all)

That's about it.  I'd be interested to know if you think I've missed anything worthwhile or you violently disagree with my opinions.

Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary

Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary

    After leaving Boddecker Road its only a short drive to the ferry terminal across to the Bolivar Peninsular.  As an added bonus the ferry crossing is free, unless you want to count paying your taxes that provides for this free service.  The crossing is brief, I'm thinking in the region on 15 to 20 mins in total.  There's a chance see gulls, terns, pelicans and possibly a Magnificent Frigatebird  from the ferry.  There's usually a good chance to photograph something, and this time did not disappoint..............






























After disembarking its only another short drive to the 17th Street turn off and then it's down to the
jetty.  The jetty runs for more than a couple of miles out into the Gulf of Mexico.  The first part is a easy and wide concrete walkway but after that it's a jumble of large granite blocks and as you get further out they get less even and more slippery.  The creation of the jetty in the late 1800s has allowed silt and sediment to build up on the East side and has created about 1,000 acres of mudflats, saltmarsh and beach in a natural shallow lagoon much beloved by all kinds of shorebirds and waders.  At the right time of the year the sheer numbers of birds can be breath taking, vast flocks of American Avocets, Black Skimmers, Gulls, Dowitchers, Willets and other goodies allow for unbeatable photographic opportunities, it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of birds make use of this sanctuary for resting, feeding and breeding annually.  Wilsons and Piping Plovers especially enjoy this habitat and the sanctuary is as good a place to see and photograph them that I know of.







The Sanctuary is currently owned and managed by the Houston Audubon Society.  It can get pretty busy on a weekend on the jetty in nice weather as local fisherman enjoy using it as well as birders and photographers.  The fisherman cast to the West into the deeper water, while for the most part the birders and photographers are busy looking East.  Having the fisherman around is not such a bad thing.  Naturally wary birds become relatively tame and unconcerned by human activity, this allows for closer looks than would otherwise be possible.  My only complaint is that some (not all), still leave their trash and discarded fishing line on the jetty when they leave.  Its not necessary, its dangerous to humans and wildlife, and not only is it disrespectful, it's downright inconsiderate.





On this visit the tide was just starting to drop as I arrived.  The whole area looked to be underwater at first glance but there were many birds out in the middle standing in shallow water.  There seemed to be Avocets everywhere.  I counted them in blocks of fifty and at a conservative estimate there had to be a minimum of three thousand and in all likelihood considerably more.

While walking along the concrete path along the top of the jetty a single Least Sandpiper was flitting from one rock to the next and staying almost next to me.  As I was walking directly into the sun I was anxious to get in front of it and then to get some shots looking back towards it with the sun behind me.


The area at the end of the concrete pathway was where the closest exposed mud flats were located and waders were congregated there in good numbers and they were not shy.  They seemed totally at ease with the coming and goings of the fishermen less than 20 yards away and when plonked myself down on the rocks less than 15 yards away they just carried on resting, feeding and preening.

Further out flocks of White and Brown Pelicans, Black Skimmers, Terns and Ring-billed Gulls were resting on the now exposed mud flats.  Even further out along the edges of the reed beds were Roseate Spoonbills, Black-necked Stilts, both species of Yellowlegs and a whole bunch of peeps that were too far away to identify.

Close by to my feet were Dunlin


Western Sandpiper,


Lesser yellowlegs,


Black-necked Stilt,


Marbled Godwit,






































American Avocets by the busload were everywhere






I still hadn't found a Reddish Egret.  I wandered further out along the jumble of rock boulders to an area of denser reed beds hoping to find one in a sheltered spot.  As I was moving along the boulders it occurred to me that one slip could be really expensive with either rock or water damage to the camera and lens.  It also entered my mind how easy it would be to break a leg or worse and be stuck out there.  Just then a fisherman who was coming towards me slipped and there was a horrendous cracking sound as he went down hard.  Fortunately, it was his fishing rod that snapped under his weight, but it goes to illustrates a point - be careful.  He was ok and escaped with a scrape and a few bruises but nothing too serious. There was a time I wouldn't have even have given safety out there a second thought, I guess that's what getting older and having responsibilities does to someone. I now find myself much more cautious than I used to be.  Alas after all that I still didn't find the Reddish Egret.  I made my way back to the parking lot stopping to chat to a few of the fishermen who all reported a very quiet day, when out in the middle mudflats all on it's own was the egret I wanted to find.  To be sure it was too far out even on a CMOS sensor and at 600mm, for anything other than an id confirming snap but at least I achieved one of my goals.  Next week I think I'll try one of my favorite winter coastal spots at Texas City Dyke - I hope its not going to be too windy.