This version of the Breeding Bird Atlas has the potential to be very exciting and dynamic. Rather than wait several years for data to be gathered, entered and analyzed you, the volunteer, will help in this effort.  The entry forms have been created to be as simple as possible.  The following will show just how easy the entry will be.

You must be an authorized user to enter data.  Creating an account is easy with our short sign-up form.  Because this security will be used in a redesigned IowaBirds, you will have the opportunity to answer a few other questions as well.  At any time you try to access an entry for and you are not logged in, you will be redirected to the login page.

Once you have created your account, all of your records will be tied to your ID.   Thus, it is important that you create one and only one account.  There are some tools available to help you manage your account and in fact, if you forget your user name a quick note to the BBA Coordinator should help you figure that out.

Forgot Your Password?  Just click on the link on the login form or select Forgot Password in the Account Management menu and enter your user name:

You will be presented with your security question:

Your password will be reset and sent to you by e-mail using the e-mail address you entered when creating your account.  Note that this is a computer-generated mix of characters that you will want to change immediately to something more user-friendly!  Also note that Mediacom users will not have immediate access since your provider continues to block our automated messages and your message requires some human intervention which may or may not be immediately available.  Your e-mail will look something like this:

Please return to the site and log in using the following information.

User Name: basicuser

Password: XV%1rQ9LQ@hvyM

Changing Your Password:  Copy and paste this mishmash of characters into the login form.  The very next thing you will want to do, assuming you are not in the habitat of memorizing meaningless password phrases, is go to the Change Password form which is available now in the Account Management menu:

Copy your temporary password in once more and then select something more meanigful to you.  Click on the Change Password button to complete the action:

Edit Your Profile:  Keep your information up-to-date.

Entering your data from a trip to a block is quick and easy.  The entry form takes you through one step at a time. Check out the steps below.

 

The entry of each visit to a block is imperative to collecting the total number of hours devoted to surveying a particular block.  By indicating a rough estimation of the percentage covered and the square miles touched, you will also help others attempting to finish a block.  Most entry is done with a few simple clicks of the mouse.  Please pay particular attention to the definition of "party hours". Note that each time you open this form you will see an update of the hours spent at this site.

 

Start by entering the basic information about your visit.  Selection of a block will update the total hours recorded so far for that block.  Click on the date box and the calendar will pop up to allow you to select a date. Note that the current date at the bottom is clickable if you are entering your data on the same day. Next, enter the number of party hours and type in any others who joined you that day.  Please separate all names with a comma. When you are finished, click on the "Next" button on the lower right.

 

Party hours: John, Joe, and Jim spend four hours surveying Block 233. They wander the properties as a group – 4 party hours. Jim takes off by himself to explore the southwest corner of the block while John and Joe stay together in the northern tier of sections – 8 party hours. The three friends split the block into thirds and each takes their own three sections – 12 party hours.

Step 2 simply asks for an estimate of coverage to the nearest 10% and you can click in the checkboxes to indicate the part of the block you covered.  In just a few seconds you may click on the "Next" button.

The next part of this form includes a list of all breeding species ever recorded in Iowa.  To make your species entries:

•  Click on the name of the species to activate the dropdown list
•  Note that if this species has been recorded at this location, the detail of that data will appear below the big list
•  Choose the level of evidence for your observation
•  Make note if this species requires notes or a documentation
•  Change the species group dropdown to change the list of species available and add everything you recorded for this trip
•  Click on the "Next" button

Review the data you are about to submit.  If you see any errors, click on the link to the page on the left bar to return and make any changes.  If a species was entered incorrectly, you may delete it now before submitting.  When you are satisfied with what you are about to enter, click on the "Finish" button to submit your data.

When you've submitted your information, this page will list any unusual records, or those for which we have little nesting information.  Please consider adding some brief details.  Click on the button on each line for a short popup form where your details may be entered.  On rare occasions you may also be asked to document a sighting through the IOU Records Committee documentation form.

The rest of this page summarizes all species recorded in the block you just entered.  You also have links to the photo upload form as well as the form for verifying habitat when you need to use these.  If you have more trips to enter, click on the button to start again.

We all know that habitat affects the quality of nesting of our summer residents.  The habitat maps available here were created in 2002 so many may be out of date.  At least once during this atlas project, and more often if additional changes are noted, volunteers are asked to update our knowledge of habitat distribution in the block.

 

 

When you select a block, there will be a notation if the block habitats have already been verified.  If not, select the year from the dropdown and choose one of the radio buttons.  If there are no significant changes, stay with the default GIS Map verified.  When you select the button for "Habitat Changes", you will get a three by three table which represent each square mile in the block.  Make the changes necessary, selecting the most predominant habitat type in that square mile, and submit the changes.

Volunteers are encouraged to upload photos taken during this atlas project.  You will select a block and a species and then point to the file on your computer to upload it.  Comments on the photo or species are welcome.  Please prepare your photos as directed in the instructions on the page prior to uploading. The file name is immaterial since the program will rename your file with a series of characters identifying it as yours as well as species and block where the photo was taken.

Everyone makes that occasional data entry error.  When you are logged in, the program can find all of your entries and allow any editing as necessary.  Use the tabs to see your entries in various ways.

Editing is done from the first tab - Trip Entries.  The tables may be paged through or you can sort by clicking on a column header.  Click on the "Select" link for a trip to see the details and create an edit form for visit information. 

Selecting a species from the list of species you recorded on a trip provides the various forms necessary to add or edit species as well as add or edit details when requested.

The "All Species" tab provides a list of all species entries you have made.  You may sort this list by clicking on the headers.

Because of the complexity of photo uploading, no editing is possible for photos.  If after perusing your list of photos, however, you wish to have one deleted use the Contact Us form and someone with administrative rights will delete it for you.