Online Naturalist Resources
Become a community observer!
Here are several tools any naturalist would find useful.
iNaturalist
iNaturalist is a remarkable resource for observing the natural world. I have been using the app for several years now to identify and record nature observations.
I set up a project to collect all the observations within Anson B. Nixon Park;
It's pretty easy to pick up iNaturalist and start using the app check out the iNaturalist How To
eBird
eBird is among the world’s largest biodiversity-related science projects, with more than 100 million bird sightings contributed annually by eBirders around the world and an average participation growth rate of approximately 20% year over year. A collaborative enterprise with hundreds of partner organizations, thousands of regional experts, and millions of users, eBird is managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
eBird Observations at Anson B. Nixon Park
Merlin
Merlin Bird ID is a free app from the same lab that manages eBird. It is an identification tool; eBird is a data archive. Many use Merlin to identify a bird in the field, then submit a confirmed sighting through eBird. Together, the two systems link personal discovery with large-scale scientific tracking.
I use Melin's Sound ID at the park to get real time suggestions of what birds I are hearing. It's a remarkable resource that is as magical as its namesake.
Birdcast
BirdCast applies weather surveillance radar to gather information on the numbers, flight directions, speeds and altitudes of birds aloft in order to expand the understanding of migratory bird movement.
Motus
Motus is an international research community working together to study the movement and behaviour of birds, bats, and insects. These animals carry miniaturized tags that transmit information to stations placed across the landscape.
The closest station is at the Bucktoe Preserve
