In order to submit your first atlas card you need to follow these steps:
In order to participate and submit you data must register as a 'Citizen Scientist'. To register, click here. As soon as you are registered you will receive your Observer Card, Citizen Scientist No. and a login password. NOTE: If you already have an ADU Observer Number (from CWAC, BIRP, or CAR) you can use this for Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2. If you require a password click here, complete the fields and click on Send.
The following document sets out the simple atlas protocol to follow. Please read it carefully and follow the protocol as accurately as possible. While this document is branded as SABAP2, it is the same protocol that is used by all BirdMap projects throughout Africa
You will need maps in order do your surveys. You need to know where the atlas blocks, called pentads, are located and the boundaries of each pentad. Identifying access routes and different landscape elements are also vital elements when planning a survey and the maps will assist you. The Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2 website is the best place to find the pentad boundaries. For example visit Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2 - zoom into the area you are interested in and double click on an atlas block. It will open a Google Earth type map with the pentad in the middle. Zoom in to see details about roads and land features within the pentad. At the bottom of the map you can get more details of the species seen in the pentad as well as who have submitted data. Another great way to see the pentad boundaries is by using the mobile app BirdLasser. After you have created a trip card open map view and you will see the pentad boundaries (you need to enable atlasing mode in order to see the boundaries). You will also be able to see your location, a small blue dot, in relation to the pentad boundaries.
There are basically two ways to submit your data:
Please visit our Facebook page and group where regular reports about the Southern African Bird Atlas Project 2 project are published. The links are:
In certain areas of Africa various atlassing groups have adopted geographical areas to really push good coverage. These are called 'challenges' and are great fun to get involved in. Please see our website under 'Challenges' for more information.
| List of Atlas Buddies. This is a list of Atlasers that are able to help with learning the protocol and getting started. Please contact your regional coordinator if you wish to contact any of them. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Area | Province |
| South Africa | ||
| Crystelle Wilson | Howick | KZN |
| Felicity Ellmore | Cape Town | WC |
| Dave Rimmer | Durban | KZN |
| Salome Willemse | Vanrhynsdorp, West Coast | WC |
| Adam Cruickshank | Amanzimtoti | KZN |
| Elouise Kalmer | Roodepoort / Randburg | GP |
| Marc Cronje | Nelspruit | MP |
| Tony Archer | Klerksdorp | NWP |
| Kevin Lavery | Southern areas of Johannesburg. | GP |
| Sue Oertli | Olivedale, Sharonlea, Bryanston, Lonehill, Roodepoort, Fourways | GP |
| Bart Fokkens | Underberg | KZN |
| Simone Swiel | Nelspruit or White River | MP |
| Tom Vorster | Hoedspruit | LP |
| Rion Lerm | Phalaborwa | LP |
| Helene Smit | Stellenbosch | WC |
| Wim de Klerk | Agulhas Plain | WC |
| Leighton Barnard | Hoedspruit | LP |
| Paul da Cruz | Sun City / Pilanesberg / Rustenburg | GP |
| David Weaver | Harrismith | FS |
| Namibia | ||
| Gudrun Middendorff | Namibia | Namibia |
| Neil Thomson | Namibia | Namibia |
