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Five MORE great apps for modern naturalists

Following my first post on the subject, I thought I would revisit the matter of great mobile applications designed to make life easier for naturalists on the go – there are just so many worthy of a mention and it very, very difficult to choose! With this in mind, featured below are five more educational, fun and all around beneficial apps for you to consider. While they may differ in purpose, all make a worthy edition to home-screen of any iPhone or Android device.

INaturalist

A truly global and incredibly popular app, iNaturalist helps you identify myriad plants and animals at the touch of a button. This incredibly user-friendly application allows you to capture photos in the field and post them online for others to identify – perfect for those lacking the time to flick through extensive field guides or for those lacking knowledge of a specific taxonomic group. Like the apps mentioned in my previous post, iNaturalist is essentially a citizen science application: one that lets you record and upload records of plants and animals on the move. Though, in this case, this app comes complete with an added sense of community – allowing users to follow and interact with like-minded individuals and learn from the extensive experience of others. It is well worth a moment of your time and, perhaps best of all, is entirely free to download and use.

Mammal Tracker

Brought to you by the Mammal Society, Mammal Tracker is the easiest and most efficient way to submit mammal sightings on the go. From small mammals – voles, shrews and mice – to deer and badgers, this app lets you submit records on the spot, complete with important information such as date, location and the number of individuals involved in the sighting. With records feeding directly into the societies database and, ultimately, helping paint a better picture regarding the health of Britain’s mammalian populations. Records submitted via Mammal Tracker are all verified by experts, thus the submission of photos alongside reports of hard to identify species is recommended; though it should be noted that this app is open to everyone, expert and novice alike. Additionally, Mammal Tracker is also incredibly helpful when identifying the species seen on your daily forays, and comes complete with a confusion species gallery to aid in proper identification of troublesome species. I certainly found it useful with regards to voles…

IRecord

I cannot stress the virtues of IRecord enough: this app should be the go-to resource for biological recorders, amateur or otherwise, in the UK. IRecord allows users to submit sightings of myriad different taxa alongside handy GPS acquired coordinates and relevant descriptions. All of which feeds directly into national databases and provides scientists with no end of useful information regarding the health and spread of faunal and floral populations. This application has many advantages: the ability to work offline and record any species, small or large, foremost among them. It also automatically checks sightings in order to highlight potential errors and allows experts to verify sightings deemed accurate. In this regard, photos of hard to identify species are recommended. As with iNaturalist, this app comes with a real sense of community, letting recorders share their sightings with others both locally and nationally; and even comes complete with a slight competitive element for those interested in a bit of sport. With sightings recorded via the app feeding into league tables visible on the IRecord website. Though for most, this will play second fiddle to the importance of recording in the first place; with this easy to use and appealing app making biological recording on the go both incredibly easy and enjoyable. Check it out!

PlantTracker

Born of the combined efforts of the Environment Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, Nature Resources Wales and others, this is an incredibly important application that fulfils a very significant purpose: recording the spread of invasive botanicals. We all know the perils brought about by invasive species – whether that be Himalayan Balsam or Japanese Knotweed. They displace and out-compete native species, ruin vulnerable habitats and, in some cases, cause extensive damage to human interests. In order to control said species, it is necessary to understand them: which is where Plant Tracker comes in. Letting users submit GPS based photographic records of eighteen particularly problematic species wherever they are encountered. This app is definitely one for those wishing to do something positive for nature.

Roger’s Mushrooms

Available as in both a lite, free version and a more extensive yet affordably priced version, Roger’s Mushrooms is the perfect tool for identifying (and learning about) fungi. This user-friendly app comes complete with over 2,600 photographs of 1,650 fungi species from across Europe and North America and allows users to document their own fungal adventures and share their finds with like-minded recorders. Additional features of the app include an Eat Mushrooms section complete with handy tips and recipes from founder and author, Roger Phillips, and a Learn Mushrooms section which allows users to test their mettle through a series of fun and educational quizzes. Rogers Mushrooms is, without a doubt, an app worthy of a space in the phone of every aspiring mycologist.

Five great apps for modern naturalists

Times are changing, and whether you welcome the shift towards a more technologically advanced age of wildlife-recording, or not, apps are fast becoming an invaluable addition to the would-be naturalist’s toolkit.  They allow you to expand your knowledge base, submit valuable records and, in some cases, have fun; while most are free and easily downloaded at the touch of a button. Below are six examples of apps that I, personally, use frequently, and ones which I thought may be of use to readers of this blog.

Birdtrack

An incredibly useful app brought to you by the British Trust for Ornithology, Birdtrack allows users to record sightings of the birds they have seen – either in the form of complete lists, or casual observations. With the data recorded feeding directly into the BTO database and providing researchers with useful information on everything from species abundance and migration times to breeding activity. This app also comes with the added bonus of allowing you to view which bird species have been recorded in your local area; while also serving as a notebook, of sorts, condensing your sightings into easily viewable lists to be revisited whenever you see fit. It is also very user-friendly.

Tree ID

Brought to you by the Woodland Trust, this attractive and easy to use app allows users to identify trees by their leaves, fruit and bark, and provides no end of useful information with regards to the species seen on rural (or urban) walks. It comes complete with a handy A-Z for easy identification and presents users with useful information relating to the status of our tree species, the threats they face and, in some cases, the folklore and historical uses associated with our trees. It is free to download on both Apple and Android devices and really is worth considering if, like me, you wish to learn more about our trees and refresh yourself on how to identify them.

Big Butterfly Count

The Big Butterfly Count app brought to you by Butterfly Conservation does exactly what it says on the tin. It allows you to submit valuable records to the annual census of British butterflies in the form of an easy to use recording sheet, complete with simple check boxes to yet the BC team know more about your particular count. This app uses GPS to track your location on the move and, as such, is perfect for recording spontaneous counts on the go, or when time limitations leave you unable to sit down at a computer to enter data. Additionally, this app also allows users to contribute to one of the most exciting and important citizen science projects of our age and is definitely one to consider for those boasting a penchant for Lepidoptera.

Nature Finder

A useful app for those seeking some wild respite, the Wildlife Trust’s Nature Finder application allows users to easily locate WT nature reserves across the length and breadth of the UK. It provides information with regards to the wildlife to be seen at specific sites and highlights upcoming events in your area; while also giving more generic information about myriad species and habitats that exist within the UK. This is the perfect app should you find yourself in need of some time in nature, or for those keen to explore and discover new places, both in your local area or further afield. Like the other apps on this list, Nature Finder is available on both Apple and Android devices.

Collins Bird Guide

The Collins bird guide in its traditional, paper-based form has long provided an indispensable resource for birders, both amateur and experienced alike, to identify the species they see in the field. It is a great book and one which I recommend everyone purchase, though did you know said book has also been transformed into a rather nifty app? The Collins app is easy to use, cheap and provides a whole manner of information with regards to bird identification and distribution, as well as boasting a handy call feature which allows users to ID birds based on sound, as well as sight. It also comes complete with fantastic artwork and in-depth maps and is highly recommended for those with an interest in avian pursuits.

Those mentioned above represent only a handful of the fantastic applications available for nature lovers to use in the field. There are, of course, many more out there and, should time allow, I will cover these in a later blog post. For now, however, why not try something new today and download one of these for yourself?

The Decline of the Yellowhammer in the UK

Last week I posted an article regarding the woeful decline of one of my favourite garden birds: the Willow Tit. This seemed to go down rather well and many of you claimed to have learnt a thing or two from it. As such, I thought I would cover another species with an equally solemn story, the Yellowhammer. Another firm favourite of mine and a species that never fails to brighten up a country stroll whenever it is encountered. Indeed, the sight of a male Yellowhammer, radiant in the summer sun is perhaps one of the finest sights in nature. Their characteristic “a little bit of bread and no cheese” song still, thankfully, the soundtrack to many a trip here in the North of England. This is not the case all over however and this brilliant bunting at present finds itself plummeting towards an abyss alongside many other familiar bird species.

The Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) showcases a unique trend among British farmland birds. The population of this passerine was, in fact, stable until the late 1980’s until the present decline began, a decline which, with the exception of Scotland has continued ever since.  With only 792,000 occupied Yellowhammer territories now present in the UK, this species has declined by 50% in only twenty-five years. Now finding itself “red-listed” by the RSPB, highlighting its status as an endangered species within the UK. Scouring the web, data regarding the decline of this charismatic species within England/Wales appears scarce though data from North Ireland where the species has undergone similar declines is rather abundant. Here an estimated 30,000 individuals in 1991 dropped to only 10,000 in 1997 before plummeting to an all-time low of only 5000 birds today. A worrying trend if ever there was one and one that likely replicates their decline across the Irish Sea. Like the Willow Tit, there are numerous theories explaining this overtly negative trend.

Reasons for the Decline

The Yellowhammer is by definition a farmland bird though for breeding it favours hedges and herbaceous field margins. In recent times however many hedgerows have been removed (Boatman et al, 1992) and many of the remaining ones have been degraded through decades of mismanagement. It, therefore, stands to reason that this has resulted in a loss of suitable nest sites for Yellowhammers and could well have removed a crucial food source for chicks, one that would usually sustain the species before the maturation of cereal crops in the summer. Habitat loss is not isolated to breeding habitat however and the removal of edge habitats used for foraging may also have played a role in the Yellowhammers decline. Like hedgerows, such habitats harbour a wealth of seeds and insects, thus denying the species a crucial food source when removed. Similarly, it has been suggested that a decrease in late summer cereal crops and a subsequent increase in grass-dominated fields may also be limiting the food source of this species (Clark et al). The gradual decrease in the prevalence of winter stubble has also had a similar effect, denying the species yet another crucial food source during one of the most naturally demanding times of the year. Something highlighted by the BTO here:

” Reductions in winter seed food availability as a result of agricultural intensification (for example, the loss of winter stubbles and a reduction in weed densities) are widely believed to have contributed to the population decline. Gillings et al. (2005)have identified better population performance in areas with extensive winter stubble, presumably because overwinter survival is relatively high.”

Habitat loss is not the only factor affecting our Yellowhammers however, it is also claimed that changes in the way we manage our farmland have had a negative impact. Again on the topic of dwindling food supplies, the way in which grain is collected has become much more efficient in recent years. This has resulted in less “spillage” and therefore less grain left on the ground as it comes to winter. An intensification in the use of pesticides to remove weeds and insects is also thought to have had a similar effect while “bird-proofing” of grain stores may also have played a role in the decline.

Other factors reported to be influencing the status of the Yellowhammer include the following:

  • Woodland planting along fringe habitats – Again decreasing breeding habitat for a species predominantly found in open areas.
  • Increased depredation from corvids and domestic/feral cats – both of which have increased in recent years.
  • Urbanisation and a reduction in the use of bruised barley in animal feed.

As you can see, at present, the Yellowhammer finds itself besieged from all sides. Changes in farming practice, habitat loss and human error combining to threaten this iconic farmland bird. Though the decline in Scotland appears to have halted, elsewhere the picture is less positive and the Yellowhammer continues on its downward spiral. Could the Yellowhammer join the Corn Bunting and Willow Tit into localised extinction across parts of Britain? Only time will tell though a few glimmers of hope do exist, among these; the RSPB’s fabulous ‘Yellowhammer Recovery Project’ aiming to stabilize the population of these birds in Northern Ireland. See here for more information on the scheme.

Image Credit: Andreas Trepte, Alan Vernon