Projects: Observations without photo evidence

Hello.
I would like to start a project and was wondering if there is any accommodation in the project format for observations that don’t have photo evidence?

For example, I have observed (and recorded on iRecord) a weasel in my proposed project area but I wasn’t quick enough to photo it. Can this be recorded? Perhaps in an unverified section?

I realise observations of this nature would not link to the usual sources but they could support the project’s verified photographic data.

Many thanks, Dave.

As l see it iSpot is primarily about supporting with identification and the development of identification skill. So good field notes on what was observed rather than a photograph are perfect viable. Equally though it you are confident what it is just submit the record directly to the relevant recording scheme.

Not sure that the projects feature (which as far as I can tell is just a way of grouping records together because the search feature has never worked well) is relevant one way or another here.

I’ve always thought iSpot as a place for ID confirmation rather than recording. I imagine it’s a pain for people to extract data for those purposes.

IRecord would probably be a much better platform for that, as records go through to national recording schemes and don’t need photos, though it doesn’t have the community ID features of iSpot.

David and Pete,

Thank you for your input.

After consideration I think iRecord is the most suitable platform for a project with and without photographic evidence.

Currently I upload my data to the Yorkshire Naturalist’s Union, which then goes automatically to iRecord. On the YNU site I believe it is possible to define an area for observation, similar to iSpot Projects, but so far I have not explored this option; partly because, at times, I have found the site awkward to use (although this may be due to my own ineptitude).

I believe there is scope in iSpot for Observations without Photos and there are already a few posts (that I can’t find just now) that I have agreed to and also posted, that prove the value. Here’s a skunk-like one though, that has been ignored for five years! A moral?

However, we need good descriptive evidence, not just something copied from an Observer’s Book (as if you would Dave!).
I also feel that a project about Weasels would be fine. But it needs to be illustrative, so obviously would need pictures of weasels. Building a project about the nature, distribution and biology would be easy and would benefit greatly from the posts already in iSpot Search | iSpot Nature (search is still the pits!)
Give it a try - Project have never been as easy as now.

Thanks for your input and support Derek.

I have decided to do the full project, i.e. everything I see in the project area, photographed or not, on iRecord. I will probably do the same project area on iSpot but only for species that I can photograph; this most likely means plants and the odd insect or well behaved bird.

I only have the camera on my phone - great for plants, not so good for birds.

Regarding the “skunk-like” observation: Intriguing, have you any ideas? Possible escapee? I think there was a Honey Badger, UK observation, on iSpot not long back; I pity the native species’ that cross paths with that beast.