DATA ENTRY
GUIDELINES
HMANA
and the hawk watches wish to maximize the use of their raptor migration data
over the widest range of projects and applications possible. Scientific research places the most rigid
requirements on data collection and analysis procedures. Educational uses of
data may be a less stringent.
Recreational users may require even less exactitude and analysis to meet
user expectations. All of these uses
are valuable uses of raptor migration data, albeit with differing sets of user
requirements.
An
essential role of HMANA is to broker the middle ground between data users and
data providers by establishing requirements, creating tools, training and
outreach, and improving and democratizing data access. HawkCount provides an archival and retrieval
mechanism which enables all these applications while simultaneously documenting
the basis of and with what controls all data were collected. The following data entry guidelines are
recommended to maximize the usefulness of the raptor migration data.
The
data set to be collected is described by the Daily Reporting Form. This data set has been collected by hawk watches
since 1975 when this form was originally developed. However, data archived via paper medium are not easily used,
therefore HMANA strongly recommends that these data be entered into HawkCount instead, preferably on a day by day
basis during the migration season. The hourly-totals entry option into HawkCount is the official HMANA
data entry policy. hawk watches entering
hourly-totals data into HawkCount are not required to submit Daily Reporting
Forms to the HMANA archives located at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.
Because
it is recognized that not all Hawk Sites are able to enter hourly data into
HawkCount during the immediacy of the count season, a daily-total option is
offered in HawkCount. In this case,
HMANA requests that hourly data be entered later at the end of the season. If hourly-totals data are not
entered electronically, then a paper copy of the daily count sheet is required
for archiving. Hawk watches should submit their Daily
Reporting Forms to the HMANA archives located at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.? It is important that this step be taken so
that a continuum of standardized data is maintained. The set of data points collected in 1975 needs to be the same as
that collected today, in as much detail as possible, in anticipation of future
analysis applications. Extra detail can
always be discarded during analysis in the case where detail level exceeds
need, but missing data can never be recovered when recorded detail level is too
low.
The
value of data is dramatically increased through timely entry into
HawkCount. There is a high demand for
making the unofficial results available immediately, as evidenced by postings
on BIRDHAWK and local hotlines.
Timeliness is a critical component element of maximizing the
recreational and educational impact to the raptor watching community at
large. At the end of each season, these
data and resultant analysis may used by local web sites, local newsletters and
HMANA's Hawk Migration Studies.?
Note that all raptor migration data entered into HawkCount is viewable
by the HMANA state/provincial coordinators and continental Flyway Editors,
therefore the Raptor Watch Site need take no additional actions for their data
to be used in this journal. The Flyway
Editors must deliver their reports by the first of April/October to the HMANA
Editor in Chief in order to be printed with the current seasons report. Please help them meet their deadlines by
getting your material into HawkCount well in advance so that Hawk Migration
Studies can be published without delay.
As
the data moves through the user continuum of recreation, education, science and
conservation, an increased importance is placed on use of standardized
protocols and longevity of count data. Therefore,
a major key to success will be to implement tools and techniques that shorten
the publication cycle at all levels within an evolutionary process of
continuous improvement in data quality.
It is understood that not all hawk watches will meet all the criteria,
however this only means that some data will not be used for particular
applications requiring that criteria.
Each hawk watch can aspire to improving their data collection procedures
and protocols in order to enable their data to be used by a greater and greater
number of applications. HMANA will
establish a set of standards that satisfies the overwhelming majority of users
and applications, while simultaneously providing the mechanism for supporting projects
requiring other attributes. For an
example of a well-designed protocol, please reference the HBMO Field Manual downloadable in .pdf
format with permissions from the Holiday Beach Migration Observatory.
By
making raptor migration data, encounter, and ancillary data easily available on
the Internet and via other electronic means, the uses of data will invariably
increase. Therefore it is more important than ever that all data sets be as
accurate as possible. Correcting data errors can be time consuming and
expensive and one can always debate the rewards relative to the costs of
correcting data errors. However, the HMANA encourages the Raptor Watch Watches
to make every effort possible to maintain the highest accuracy feasible in all
their data sets. HMANA actively solicits users to report errors, and has data
correction as a high priority so that corrections are made in a timely manner.
Definitions of key terms may be found in the attached Glossary. Your questions and comments regarding Data Entry can be submitted to the HMANA Data Curator via email to data@hmana.org.