Training MaterialsRecording Animal Observations
www.usanpn.org/participate/guidelines 2
1. Select a site
2. Select plant and animal species
3. Select individual plants
4. Mark your site and plants
5. Record your observations of
animals
6. Record your observations of plants
7. Report your data online
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• Plants: repeat observations of the same individual plants
• Animals: create a checklist for your site, look and listen for all species each time you visit
Observation considerations
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• Phenophases to observe
• Frequency of observations
• Special considerations
• Site visit details
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Observation considerations
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• Walking a single line through site
• Stationary at a single point
• Area search: multiple passes through site
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Observing animals
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Phenophases to observe
Check animal profile page:
http://www.usanpn.org/species_search
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What to look for and record• Yes (Y) – if the phenophase is
occurring• No (N) – if the phenophase is
not occurring• Uncertain (?) – if you are not
certain whether you saw or heard that species or that phenophase
• Do not record anything if you did not check for this phenophase
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What to look for and record• Yes (Y) – if the phenophase is
occurring• No (N) – if the phenophase is
not occurring• Uncertain (?) – if you are not
certain whether you saw or heard that species or that phenophase
• Do not record anything if you did not check for this phenophase
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What to look for and record• Yes (Y) – if the phenophase is
occurring• No (N) – if the phenophase is
not occurring• Uncertain (?) – if you are not
certain whether you saw or heard that species or that phenophase
• Do not record anything if you did not check for this phenophase
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What to look for and record• Yes (Y) – if the phenophase is
occurring• No (N) – if the phenophase is
not occurring• Uncertain (?) – if you are not
certain whether you saw or heard that species or that phenophase
• Do not record anything if you did not check for this phenophase
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What to look for and record• Yes (Y) – if the phenophase is
occurring• No (N) – if the phenophase is
not occurring• Uncertain (?) – if you are not
certain whether you saw or heard that species or that phenophase
• Do not record anything if you did not check for this phenophase
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What to look for and record• Yes (Y) – if the phenophase is
occurring• No (N) – if the phenophase is
not occurring• Uncertain (?) – if you are not
certain whether you saw or heard that species or that phenophase
• Do not record anything if you did not check for this phenophase
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A quick example: American robin
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A quick example: American robin
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A quick example: American robin
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A quick example: American robin
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A quick example: American robin
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1
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A quick example: American robin
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Robin
Goldfinch
Black-capped chickadee
Gopher snake
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Robin
Goldfinch
Black-capped chickadee
Gopher snake
4/8/10
Robin
Goldfinch
Black-capped chickadee
Gopher snake
4/8/10 4/15/10 5/1/10
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Cover Sheet
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• W = walked a single line through site
• S = stationary at a single point
• A = area search through site
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During each site visit:• Summarize animals seen and heard on the
Animal Checklist• Document any phenophases seen or heard
for animals on your checklist on individual Animal Phenophase Datasheets
• Document site visit details on the Cover Sheet
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Bringing it all together: Another quick example
• American robin
• Black-capped chickadee
• Bumblebee
60Photo:Trounce/Wikimedia Commons
Bringing it all together: Another quick example
On your site visit, you see:
• One robin flying through the site
• Two bumblebees visiting flowers
And you hear:
• One robin singing
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Robin
Bumblebee
Black-capped chickadee
4/8/10
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2
1
1
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2
3/1/11
5/5/10
5/5/10
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• W = walked a single line through site
• S = stationary at a single point
• A = area search through site
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5/5/10
5/5/10
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5/5/10
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2
5/5/10
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Another example…
• American robin
• Black-capped chickadee
• Bumblebee
71Photo:Trounce/Wikimedia Commons
• As often as possible
• At least once a week
• All observations are valuable!
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Frequency of observations
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• Convenient for you
• Consistently
• For species on Nature’s Notebook list, during the day
Time of day of observations
What if I missed a phenophase?• Make a note of it in the comments section of
your data form
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1
2
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3/10/11
Nest built between 3/1/11 and 3/10/11
• Continue to watch• Make a note of it in the comments section of
your data form
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What if a phenophase isn’t occurring?
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11/10/11
No robins seen mating this year
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What if I never see the animals on my list?
• Often you will not see them
• Sometimes you will never see them
• This information is very valuable
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Keep looking for a phenophase, even after it has ended
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Keep looking for a phenophase, even after it has ended
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