If you have already read through the Introduction and
Step-by-step Instructions
click here to continue with Data Entry for the:
2007 season
2006 season
2005 season
2004 season
2003 season
2002 season
2001 season
or
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Introduction
The data entry pages mimic
the Field Forms you used when collecting data for BFL. However, instead
of flipping pages to move from section to section, you will use a series
of navigation buttons located in the banner at the top of the screen. By
clicking a button, a new screen will appear that corresponds to the proper
section of your Field Form. The data to be entered on each button is described
below in the Step-by-step Instructions.
- You can click on any button at any time during the data entry process,
moving from one page to the next. Before moving on to another
page, however, you will need to save your data.
- Each data entry page has a clickable button that reads "Save
My Data." When you click that button, a copy of that data
entry page is uploaded to our temporary database. You can then access
that information throughout the season to edit or enter additional data.
- After saving your data you can continue entering data for that study
site, or enter data for a different site. You must select the study
site from the drop down menu located at the top of each data entry page
to activate it.
- You can click the Data Entry Summary button at any time to see a listing
of your study sites and their completion status. This page will show
you which data entry pages are complete, which need additional data
entered, and provide links to take you to those pages directly.
- Once all of your data are entered and edited to your satisfaction,
you must "Submit the Data" from the Data Entry Summary page.
Read the Step-by-step Instructions below for details
about submitting data to our permanent database.
Should you need additional details about specific instructions or processes
during data entry, click the accompanying "Help" button. The
appropriate information will be displayed in a new window, which can then
be closed, returning you to data entry. Alternatively, you can leave the
window open and toggle back and forth between the "Help" and
data entry pages under the "Window" option on your browser's
menu bar.
If you have already read through the Step-by-step Instructions
Click here to continue
with Data Entry
Step-by-step Instructions
There is no set way to enter your BFL data (except that you must pick
your study sites before you can do anything else), but we suggest the
following steps.
- Select
your study sites as the mandatory first step
- Select your study species
- Describe
the habitat characteristics of your study site
- Enter visit information
- Enter additional visit information,
if applicable, and review the breeding status of your sites
- Optional features allow
you to update and edit your profile or site information, then log out
of data entry
- Data Entry Summary
- Submit your data
Keep in mind that these are only suggestions. You can enter your first
visit data before entering your habitat data, so feel free to enter the
data in the method that works best for you.
Select your study sites
All of the data you enter will be associated with a specific study site,
defined by a specific latitude and longitude. If you register a
site from a previous season, or use the interactive map tool, your latitude
and longitude will be determined automatically. If you measure the
latitude and longitude via GPS or another method for a new study site,
you should calculate it at your survey point in the center of your study
site.
You must identify your sites before entering any other data. Use any
of the following methods to define your study site(s):
Register
a study site that you have used in past years – if you have entered data
for your particular site in previous seasons, your site information
is already stored in our database. You can simply register the site
as a current site, and all of the relevant information will be automatically
uploaded to the current season. If any of your habitat data have changed
this year, you can enter the new information without affecting your
historical data.
Enter
the latitude and longitude manually
– if you have determined the latitude and longitude of your site
using a GPS unit, a topographic map, or an alternate method, you can
directly enter the latitude and longitude in decimal degrees. Note that
if you recorded the latitude and longitude in degrees-minutes-seconds,
you must first convert these values to decimal degrees. Click here for an explanation of decimal
degrees vs. degree-minutes-seconds and how to convert degrees-minutes-seconds
to decimal degrees. You must also provide information about how you
originally determined your latitude and longitude.
Use
our interactive map tool
– this method uses road and topographic maps and aerial photographs
to help you pinpoint your study site. When you select the precise site,
the latitude and longitude are automatically uploaded in decimal degrees
to the BFL database.
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Select your study species
The program will generate a regional list of all possible study species
based on the location of your site. Check the box, or boxes, of all of
the species you will study at each site this season. To ensure that the
data collected are not biased, you cannot change your selections later
in the season. Because negative data are important to BFL, we ask that
you enter all relevant information for each selected species, even if
you did not observe that species during your site visits.
When you are finished
entering these data, click "I am done selecting study species for
this study site," then click the "Save My Data" button.
Remember, you will not be able to change your study species later in the
season. Contact us at forest_birds@cornell.edu if you
need to change your selections.
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Describe the habitat characteristics of your study
sites
This information can be entered before or after your site visits, but
must be entered before you can submit your data to BFL. The main sections
include:
Survey
Point Characteristics
– information about the specific point from which you conducted
your surveys
Study
Site Characteristics
– information about your study site, including the area's hydrology,
forest type, canopy cover and height, ownership, etc.
Landscape
Level Characteristics
– information about the habitat surrounding your study site, including
patch size, distance to other forest patches, and linear distance of
edge
When you are finished entering these data, click the “Save My Data”
button. If you cannot enter all of the data at one time, not to worry!
Your data will be stored in our temporary database and will be available
for editing if necessary.
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Enter the visit information
When you select this button, you will first choose the date of the visit.
You can enter a date for a new visit, or you can edit/review your previous
visit. You will only fill out this section for Visit 1 and Visit 2.
If you make additional visits to your sites (which are not required this
season), you will be able to report this information under the "Breeding
Status" button.
If you are entering information for a new visit, enter your start and
finish times, the number of field observers and their names. As you scroll
down the screen you will find your study species listed across the top
of a table, with questions to answer listed down the side of the page
(see your Field Form). You can fill in the table directly from your Field
Form. Click on all selections that apply, with the following definitions:
o = observation period
p = playback period
b = behavior watch period
N/A = this question is not relevant for this species (e.g., some species
cannot drum, some sexes cannot be distinguished, etc.).
Once the table is completed, answer the questions regarding brood parasites
and competitors and predators.
When you are finished entering these data, click the “Save My Data”
button. If you cannot enter all of the data at one time, not to worry!
Your data will be stored in our temporary database and will be available
for you to edit if necessary.
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Edit and review the breeding status
After you have completed Visit 1 and Visit 2, you can review the breeding
status of your study species at your sites. If you made any additional
visits to your site, you can enter additional observations on this page,
as well as any comments about your study species.
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Options
Here you will find links to the BFL Frequently Asked
Questions and contact information
for the BFL staff. You will also be able to:
- Change your password - you will be asked to enter your old
password, then submit and confirm a new one. Be sure to remember your
password, as you will need it to log in to the BFL Data Entry pages!
- Edit your profile - should your contact information change,
you can make changes to your e-mail address and other personal information
required when setting up a profile.
- Edit your study sites - You can delete a study site and all
the information associated with it, or rename a study site if necessary.
- Log Out of the BFL Data Entry pages - It is not required that
you log out of the Data Entry pages, you can simply move on to a new
web page, or close down your computer. However, if you are entering
BFL data from a shared work station, you should log out to prevent someone
altering your data.
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Data Entry Summary
Clicking the Data Entry Summary button will display all of your active
study sites. The separate data entry categories are listed below the name
of each site, along with a record of their completion status. You can
click the Data Entry Summary button at anytime to determine which data
entry pages are complete and which require additional data entry. You
will also visit the Data Entry Summary page in order to submit your data
as described below.
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“Saving” vs “Submitting” Data
On each data entry page you have the option to “Save My Data.”
When you save your data, all information entered on that page is
stored in a temporary database, but is still available for you to modify
if necessary. This option allows you to partially or fully enter information
for that page, then come back and finish it at a later time.
Once you have finished entering and reviewing your data, you must “Submit”
your data. This creates a permanent version that is uploaded to our database
where you can no longer alter it. To submit data, return to the
“Data Entry Summary” page and view the site for which you are
ready to submit data. Check the box that notifies the BFL staff that your
data entry is complete for this site for this season. If you need to make
changes to your data after you have submitted it, you will need to contact
the BFL staff.
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