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Recording sites

For this project, we need to know where you go birdwatching. You can register as many sites as you wish, but records from sites that you visit regularly are the most useful, for example your local park or gravel pits. These sites are assigned to you within the Migration Watch database. If a friend wishes to enter records from the same site then they will need to register it under their own user id.

The information that we require is straightforward: Site name (up to 40 characters long) County Grid Reference OR Postcode OR point to a map to get grid reference

All of the last three location recording methods are used to derive a grid reference that we will use to map your data. We have provided three different methods to make it as easy as possible for a wide range of people to use the system. The point and click mapping system is only available for England, Scotland and Wales at present. Postcodes are not used in the Republic of Ireland.

What is a site?

A site can be almost as big (up to a 10km square) or as small as you like. For most Migration Watch recorders a site is going to be a regular birdwatching area such as your garden, a local park or a nature reserve. For these sites you will be able to provide us with a fairly accurate location, such as postcode for the garden (eg IP24 2PU) or a four-figure grid reference for a nature reserve (eg TL8781). If your site overlaps two or more 1km squares, please give the grid reference for the 1km square in which most of the site lies. If you are birdwatching in an area where it is difficult to provide an accurate location, such as Rannoch Moor or Thetford Forest, then a 10km grid reference will be sufficient (eg TL88). After you have registered a site, the site name will appear on a personalised site list every time you use the data entry system. You can then select the appropriate site. If you discover that you haven't registered the site for which you want to enter data you will be able to register it before you proceed.

Most of the time we will map results by 10 km squares and present other results at a regional level. This means that it is not vital to provide a highly accurate location for every site although it will be helpful if you are as precise as possible.

Providing postcodes or accurate grid references will be really useful because it will allow us to disseminate bird records to County Recorders for use in bird reports. Please note that we will not be passing on personal information to County Recorders. If you do not want us to pass your bird records to County or local bird recorders please check the appropriate box when you register.

Recording visits

For each birdwatching visit we will ask you for some simple information. We will need to know where you went birdwatching, the date and the times of your observations. Recording times are not essential but they do give us a valuable measure of observer effort so we encourage you to record them.

Next - Recording your sightings