During the November/December snow I discovered a new twitter mashup called http://uksnowmap.com/
this is how it works...
"This app searches Twitter for real-time snow reports and displays them on the map.
Tweet the hashtag #uksnow, your location (postcode, town name or geotag your tweet), and rate the snow that is falling out of ten (0/10 for nothing - 10/10 for a blizzard).
You can also include the depth of snow (cm or inches), attach a photo and add a description to your tweet."
I was on twitter tonight looking at http://twitter.com/#!/WaxwingsUK and thought that it would be brilliant to have a bird spotting mashup for not only waxwings but also different types of birds... these could then be clearly displayed on a map of the UK
could work something like this: #rspbsightings RG12 waxwings 10
where:#rspbsightings is the twitter account nameRG12 is the postcodewaxwings is type of bird spotted10 is the amount of birds or 'flock' if there are too many to count
icons could then be plotted on the map and then the user could filter according to species that they were looking for so they could sort out their wheatear from their chiff-chaff
the uksnowmap is easily accessible on the internet, and it is also accessible on a mobile and via iphone app... hell... you could even sell the app on iphone for 59p per download and make this relatively simple alteration to the snowmap code work for you and make the RSPB money and gain more users and followers... all you would have to do is contact the original developer... Ben Marsh
what goes around comes around!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/guyfrankland/sets/72157623175917620/show/
Hi Guy
Sounds like a good idea in principle, but have you heard of anyone twitching snow?
People like to know what snow is doing, but don't race up and down the country tring to see it.
Point being bird guides offers this kind of information, for a subscription but the information is at least semi verified e.g. written descriptions with county recorder etc
With no screening could you picture the fantastic no of sightings of ultra rare birds and the number of wasted trips by people. Or conversely a true rarity ignored for fear of time wasters.
If the info is to be checked, even if its just rare species then this is an addition ongoing cost that would limit any financial benefits.
It's both what you do and the way that you do it!
You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren. William Henry Hudson (1841 - 1922)
I agree that the "official" options are well established in this area and mpiekp has said - before this information is put out it has to be checked at some level - A trip from the South East to Cumbria, for example is not to be taken lightly
The twitter report can be useful amongst a closed group of trusted friends that tweet their own local rarities and I have planned to do the very thing this year for anything I see in and about the Newport Wetlands. (@barman58)
Birdforums also has a national free daily service on their website which I will give here as I do not believe this is a conflict with the aims of these forums
Link
Again research is needed before rushing off to see anything posted - and of course,Birds especially Rare ones do have a habit of flying away LOL
Best regardsNigel
| My Images | Newport Wetlands on Flickr @barman58
i'm not talking about 'ultra-rare birds' for uber twitchers... I'm talking about your everyday birds that everyday joe might like to report... if you make it accessible and not something that people will think... thats just for nerds... then in a similar way to the BGBW you can get an appreciation for where birds of any species are and at what time and have an historical record of it... waxwings/sparrows is the perfect example.. which people are happily tweeting about and no one is getting a bee in their bonnet about it...
of course... if there were ultra rare sightings recorded then these could be flashed up to a county recorder or similar for verification before the sighting was listed.. or just not have ultra rare species on the list of species that can be tweeted
love the way ideas are completely poo-pooed before they have a chance to get off the ground..