IWLRC: Submitting records

How you can contribute species records

If you have any Isle of Wight records, old or new, that you would like to contribute to the recording network in the Isle of Wight, please send your data to the appropriate recording group. Sending to the relevant Isle of Wight County Recorder avoids duplication of records and ensures that all data is validated and consolidated by one organisation. Through data exchange agreements, IWLRC's partner organisations provide IWLRC with regular database updates.

For species where no county recorder exists IWLRC is pleased to receive your records, especially for notable species. Species records must include the following

Who: Full name of recorder(s) and contact details
What: Species name (either a common name or a scientific name)
Where: Grid reference (six or eight figure) and site name
When: Date of survey or record

Wherever possible include:

An estimate of species abundance (how many you saw and their sex, if known)
Brief site description with details of habitat types
A map showing the site/species location

Several of the recording groups have standard recording forms, and to improve data input efficiency many are now encouraging individuals to enter their data directly on line. You can submit records on-line to:

Butterfly Conservation
Bird Track (also accepts Dragonfly records)
iRecord: You can also submit all species records on line to iRecord. You will need to log on to use the site but the advantage is that you can attach photographs and your records are made available both locally (to the LRC) and nationally.

iSpot: If you are unsure of the identification of a species, you can put the record onto iSpot with a photograph, where you can expect to get feedback to help you with identification.

Share your records

You can also share your records directly with us. You can submit an Excel spreadsheet or fill in a Word document and email it to us (or to the relevant Isle of Wight County Recorder, if there is one). Any records you submit will be entered into the LRC database once validated and made available for conservation, education and planning control. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to discuss sharing your records with us.

If you record wildlife regularly, it may be simplest to collate all your records onto this spreadsheet and e-mail it to us. This ensures that we have all the information we need from you to validate and verify your data.

Isle of Wight Local Records Centre basic recording spreadsheet

Download recording spreadsheet as Microsoft Excel file

Download recording spreadsheet as ODS file

Recording workshops

We are looking at the possibility of providing short free informal workshops to help you get to grips with sorting out your observations to make them more useful to you and others. Sessions would be arranged for groups of 2-6 people, at a time to suit, using the IW Natural History and Archaeological Society's computers. Please click here to download a form to express an interest in this training.

Isle of Wight Local Records Centre incidental sightings diary

Download Microsoft Word file

Download RTF file

This document is for recording occasional one-off sightings which you'd like to share with us, perhaps from your garden, local nature reserve or when you've been out on a walk. Use this if you would prefer to download, fill in and e-mail us a Word document rather than using the Excel spreadsheet. Use this form when, for instance, you see a dead badger at the side of the road or frogs or toads in a garden pond. You can use this form if you want to keep a record of your wildlife sightings of a range of species at a range of sites.

Annual Recorders' Forum

The Annual Recorders' Forum is held in February at Arreton Community Centre, Main Road, Arreton, Isle of Wight PO30 3AD. Please contact IWLRC for further information