Date: 5/5/25 5:26 am From: Wendy VanDeWalle via groups.io <wtvandewalle...> Subject: Re: [NEBirds] *** Calamus Reservoir*** eBird locations
I’ve been watching this discussion and even though I’m from Iowa, choosing
a hotspot for your location is a universal problem.
Even experienced eBird users are often too quick to choose the name of the
park as a location instead of the hotspot. The name of the park often comes
up first before the hotspot location comes up. If eBird truly wants us to
use hotspots then somehow they need something that pops up first that says
“please choose the nearest hotspot if you are within x amount of miles” or
whatever. The name of the park should not be an option. ( If you are not
familiar with what this looks like, I think it might just have a little
plus sign instead of the hotspot icon).
I guess it falls on reviewers to ask someone to use a hotspot but that’s a
lot of added work.
Wendy VanDeWalle
Buchanan Co. Iowa
On Mon, May 5, 2025 at 4:11 AM Rita Cunha via groups.io <rita23cunha=
<gmail.com...> wrote:
> Paul,
>
> I know the person who made this checklist you mention. I was birding with
> them, and I have to say, this confusion or conflict is a big reason why
> more people don’t use ebird.
>
> For starters, it is not an intuitive app that a beginner will know how to
> use “properly” as the developers probably intended. Second, this birding
> outing was a traveling one, and the only reason it was logged on eBird at
> all was because this person is doing the Nebraska Birding Bowl, which
> requires checklists. We started birding at the trout pond, but continued
> driving making stops wherever we felt like it.
>
> In my opinion, it is hard enough getting folks who bird recreationally —
> folks who may not have much of an interest in the more complex methods of
> research — to use eBird at all. The same applies to other community science
> apps, like iNaturalist. As someone who lives in rural central Nebraska, I
> am often the only one (or part of a handful of people) making observations
> in my county (and sometimes surrounding counties). I understand the need
> for accurate reporting — but does it not make sense to make the eBird
> process simpler and less fiddly? Noticing habitat changes, knowing to stop,
> close a checklist, and start up a new one I fear will drive casual users
> and casual birders away… and then we won’t have any data, period.
>
> I hope this isn’t coming across the wrong way. I would like to see maybe a
> new hotspot for each “big” pullout at Calamus SRA. Bill, do you think this
> is a good idea? Maybe:
> - Valley View Flats
> - Gracie Creek — trout pond
> - Hannaman Bayou
> - Ash Grove fishing access
> - Dry Creek fishing access
> - etc
>
> I bird the Calamus very regularly. And i will be sure to start following
> these best practices you outlined, Paul. But wanted to share my concerns
> and desire in seeing eBird become more user-friendly, beginner-friendly,
> and casual birder-friendly in order to be MORE USED.
>
> Thank you for touching on this issue, Paul and Bill.
>
> Rita Cunha
> Valley County
>
> On Sun, May 4, 2025 at 9:22 PM Paul Roisen via groups.io <roisenp1950=
> <gmail.com...> wrote:
>
>> Bill,
>> Thank you for your response on this one, Bill. Calamus Outfitters
>> Birding Tours, unfortunately, did a great disservice to eBird and
>> ebirders. Hope I did not overstep with my comments, but ran into another
>> list out of Calamus a couple of days ago which they named "Calamus State
>> Recreation Area" but it was not a hot spot. The GPS coordinates matched
>> "Calamus Reservoir--Gracie Creek trout pond", but the name suggests the
>> entirety of the Calamus Reservoir. I would suspect that this person was
>> not familiar with eBird hotspots.
>>
>> Have a great birding year. Maybe I will see you at the Tri-State
>> Ornithological meeting in South Sioux City May 16-18.
>>
>> God Bless,
>>
>>
>> *Paul O. Roisen*
>> *Woodbury County, IA*
>> *Mobile 712-301-2817*
>>
>>
>> On Sun, May 4, 2025 at 6:59 PM William Flack via groups.io <sparvophile=
>> <yahoo.com...> wrote:
>>
>>> As the eBird hotspot editor for Nebraska, I think I can de-hotspot
>>> Calamus Outfitters. That wouldn't eliminate the data associated with the
>>> site; it'd just transform it into a private location, which wouldn't show
>>> up on the hotspot map or for anyone who hadn't already entered a list there.
>>>
>>> Is this something I should do? I'll ask not just Paul, but anyone else
>>> who's done significant amounts of Calamus Reservoir birding. In
>>> particular, does anyone have strong arguments against doing so?
>>>
>>> William Flack
>>> Kearney
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>
