www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hullo everyone!

I would be really interested to know how you record your butterfly sightings.

Do you use a notebook? Do you use a database? What method do you use so that you can easily look back and see when you saw your first and last species of the year for example?

I only became keen on butterflies last year and I'd like to start using a recording method that will see me through the ensuing years.

Thanks

Polly

P.S. This is the first time of dipping my toes in the water here - are you guys friendly?

Hi Polly - and welcome! Yes - we're very friendly

I don't keep a personal record, but do submit all of my sightings, online, to the relevant branch of Butterfly Conservation. If you go here:

http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/t ... he_uk.html

you should be able to find the relevant branch. Most branch websites have an online form that can be used to submit sightings. Their website can then be used at the end of the year to see your, and others, sightings (normally!).

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

- Pete

Hi Polly,
Welcome to the site, yeah were all friendly
I keep a small note book with me at all times and write down everything I see , not just butterflies, also I usually take quite a lot of photos when out and about, these serve as great memory joggers, even if I havent actually got a shot of a particular butterfly, the shots I do take, remind me of the day in general.

I too send in reports as Pete has outlined and being a Transect walker I send in a tick sheet of butterflies seen each time I do a transect walk.
We are then sent a summary at the end of each season, which I add to my database.

Hi Polly,

I'm new to the site too!

Much like Mike I always carry a small hard bound note book wherever I go and record all sorts of things, not just butterflies (in fact diptera is my primary interest), but any interesting wildlife observations.

These notes are then added to a diary/database on my PC at home. This serves the purpose of being able to keep accurate records that can then be submitted to the relevant groups or other interested parties.

I can also then search by locality, species, dates etc.

The most important thing I guess is to ensure that your records are accurate and kept in a format that bests suits you, your available time and your interests.

Lastly, don't under estimate how important your records may be to others - even if they seem trivial to you!

Cheers,

Felix.

I use a digital dictaphone in the field and take loads of pictures - mostly record shots from some distance. The computer automatically files the pictures under the correct date, which is very useful. The important records are transferred to a journal on my website (http://www.guypadfield.com/butterflyyear.html) which in recent years I've been keeping up to date. I have a backup of this too, just in case!!

Guy

Hi Polly and welcome.

I am fairly new to butterflies but I've been a keen birder for years. I keep a note book with me to record species and a diary on my PC to log everything that I've seen. I also attempt to photograph quite a lot. This gives me endless pleasure in the taking and reminiscing.

I hope you enjoy this site and get as much out of it as I do.
Cheers

Denise

Hi Polly,

Welcome to UK Butterflies

If you get really serious you can buy a software database called MapMate from here:
http://www.mapmate.co.uk/index.html
I use it to log all my butterfly and moth sightings (and for that matter all the sightings reported on the website of the Hants & IOW branch of Butterfly Conservation). At the end of each year I send these to the County Recorder and so they become part of a permanent record for the county.
In MapMate you can record most flora and fauna.

I'm not on commission, honestly

Robin

Denise makes a good point. Until 1998 I used to record everything in a notebook but then my car got broken into near Salisbury and everything was stolen including the notebook. Must have fetched a good price. So I got another notebook and everything was fine until 2002 when someone (who cannot be named, given her patience on my butterfly trips) put a water bottle in the bag with my notebook, when we discovered that the bottle top was not screwed on properly and the ink in the notebook was water soluble. Aaaaargh!

So now I keep a detailed notebook for on-the-day and I transfer to the PC asap and keep a backup CD. I also keep a simple spreadsheet with species in the rows and date/location in the columns so I can sort the records as and when I need to.

Also, in the age of digital cameras, I always take photos for ID purposes as it always amazes me how much more I see on the photos than I did in the field.

I am starting as of this year to record things in a notebook. The date and time species were seen and a grid reference for my area, as I have all references for this area marked down, so I can just go out and make a list of what I have seen then.

I am going to take many pics of the various species, from different views too.

Can't wait till the season starts. Got to hunt for Holly blues and Orange-Tips again this year and see where I can find them.

Thanks so much for all your replies.

So I have to go and buy a notebook, set up a database, dust down my camera and then wait for some warm weather!!

Can't wait for Spring!!

In the meantime, I have been doing some reading about butterfly-friendly plants for the garden. That's my next project.

Polly

Hi folks,

how to change in TRANSECT WALKER 2 soft the transect numbers up to 20? If it is impossible now, Is there such option included in future? Thanks.

Except when walking round my local reserve I don't usually log sightings unless they are unusual. If that's the case I'll notify the relevant wildlife organisation or trust. At the local reserve I use a simple notepad to make transect records of lepidoptera and odonata, and pass them onto the Avon Wildlife Trust. I don't keep personal records except for photos.
One exception was a sighting of a southern emerald damselfly in 2006. I believe this was the only recorded instance of this species in the region so a photo of that was sent to several interested parties.