Record Your Eider Sightings
Eider Aware North East
Eider Aware are keen to find out more about how eiders are using our coast and about the pressures they are under from human activity. You can help with this by using the eider recording app that has been produced for us by the Environmental Records Information Centre North East (ERIC North East).
Click here to submit records or download the app
This simple app can be used online or downloaded to mobile devices. The information provided will help us monitor the health of the eider population in Northumberland and target future management. Step by Step guides on how to download and use the app are available to view on our YouTube channel
The basic information that you will need to provide is your name, the date of your sighting and the number of eiders seen. You will also be asked how many of these were chicks.
You will also be asked if you witnessed any disturbance to eiders. By disturbance we mean any activity that increases alertness or causes birds to move from an area. If you answer yes to this a separate drop down menu will appear where you can select the cause of the disturbance and the reaction of the eiders. Please note that we are not seeking seeking information about the activities of particular individuals, we are just trying to better understand the types of broad activity taking place and any key areas for these.
A comments box is also included for any other information that you think might be relevant. You can use this for example to let us know whether birds you saw were male or female
One last vital piece of information that we will require is details of where you say the eiders. If you have downloaded the app to a phone or other mobile device with GPS then this should locate your location automatically regardless of whether you are online. If you are using the app in a browser you can use the map provided to navigate to your location.
The app also comes with a facility to upload photographs of your sightings. These can be really helpful in helping to check the records that we receive.
If you have any feedback about the app then please contact us and let us know
Already recording eider numbers through a national recording scheme or via an app such as bird tracker? That’s no problem. Via ERIC North East we are able to access other data collected in the area so there is no need to submit it separately using our app.
Male eider (Photo: Tom Cadwallender)