As many of you are aware, the EBRC is maintaining an offline Bird Database with records going back to 1949.
Each record is stored on a date, a site, a count, notes if applicable, and with the observers name.
The UAE Bird Recorder (currently that is me) will typically download a full month worth of records from eBird on the 15th of the next month, giving Observers ample time to submit and edit out any mistakes or omissions.
So, as an example; on December 15th, I will download the November records.
So, there is no longer a need to share your own eBird checklists with the eBird user UAE Bird Database. Thank you all for having done this in the past. This is a huge step forward. If you as a visiting birder want to share a particularly interesting checklist with us, we are ALWAYS happy to see a link to that checklist shared here, under UAE Bird Sightings.
Example of a Database report, October 2019
This is amazing and very innovative! I really think that people should learn more about birds so they'll be more concerned with their preservation. This is really amazing, thanks a lot for this. I really loved scrolling through this database. It's great.
Any birders from Ajman, Sharjah or UAQ??
Another issue we often see, is the use of X as count for a common species. eBird strongly suggests that an estimated number is entered. Basically, ANYTHING is better than the use of X See this article
So, 20 Laughing Dove is better than X Laughing Dove Ditto for 100 House Sparrow, or 5 House sparrow, or 500. Just not X Thanks.
What IS important, is whenever possible, that you use the local eBird Hotspot name for the site you are birding at. It is easy to import data from a Hotspot known by the Database, but creates all sorts of difficulty if you birded at:
Hotspot: Al Marmoom DCR--Oasis Lakes But your eBird list says: Qudra Lakes or
AE-Dubai-(24.834424x55.374915) or desert lakes or AE (24.834424x55.374915) or Alqudra or (24.83x55.37) I have seen it all ;-) If you zoom in to the UAE, you can see all our Hotspots here: https://ebird.org/hotspots
If you use eBird on your mobile, 'Choose Location from Map' or the function 'Choose a Nearby Hotspot' will give you the correct name, and please do not use 'Choose a Recent Location' unless you are sure this is actually a Hotspot. Thanks.
A Hotspot shows up as a Bold Blue, clickable link
A Personal Location will show up as a Bold Black, not clickable name.