[2026-04-18 07:42:09] Support - Lena: Good morning, BirdWatch Survey support. How can I help?
[2026-04-18 07:42:31] Participant - Aaron: Hi, I finished a 20-minute point count at Maple Creek Park, but the app says my checklist is incomplete.
[2026-04-18 07:42:58] Support - Lena: I can help with that. Are you seeing the warning before or after tapping Submit?
[2026-04-18 07:43:12] Participant - Aaron: Before submit. It says "effort details required," but I filled in start time and duration.
[2026-04-18 07:43:44] Support - Lena: Please check whether distance traveled is set. For a stationary point count, it should be 0.00 km, not blank.
[2026-04-18 07:44:19] Participant - Aaron: That was it. It was blank. Thanks.
[2026-04-18 07:44:33] Support - Lena: Great. Before you submit, did you record all birds detected during the full 20 minutes?
[2026-04-18 07:44:56] Participant - Aaron: Yes, but I have one question. I saw a Northern Cardinal twice. Same male flew from one tree to another. Count as 1 or 2?
[2026-04-18 07:45:22] Support - Lena: Count that as 1 individual if you are confident it was the same bird.
[2026-04-18 07:45:51] Participant - Aaron: Got it. I also heard a woodpecker drumming but never saw it. Can I include it?
[2026-04-18 07:46:18] Support - Lena: Yes, heard-only birds should be included if you can identify them confidently. If not, use the most specific option you are sure of, such as "woodpecker sp."
[2026-04-18 07:46:49] Participant - Aaron: I’m confident it was Downy Woodpecker. I heard the call after the drumming.
[2026-04-18 07:47:05] Support - Lena: Then Downy Woodpecker is fine.
[2026-04-18 07:47:37] Participant - Aaron: The app also asks if I used playback. I didn’t, but another person nearby was playing bird calls from their phone.
[2026-04-18 07:48:10] Support - Lena: Please mark playback as "No" for your survey, and add a note that another park visitor used playback nearby.
[2026-04-18 07:48:44] Participant - Aaron: Will that invalidate the count?
[2026-04-18 07:49:03] Support - Lena: Not automatically. The note helps reviewers interpret any unusual activity or repeated detections.
[2026-04-18 07:49:41] Participant - Aaron: Makes sense. One more thing: I had a possible Eastern Screech-Owl at 7:05, but it was distant.
[2026-04-18 07:50:17] Support - Lena: If you are uncertain, please do not enter it as confirmed. You can add it in the comments as "possible Eastern Screech-Owl heard distantly."
[2026-04-18 07:50:52] Participant - Aaron: Okay. The checklist now shows 18 species and lets me submit.
[2026-04-18 07:51:16] Support - Lena: Perfect. After submission, it may show as "pending review" if any species are flagged as uncommon for that location or date.
[2026-04-18 07:51:45] Participant - Aaron: I submitted it. It says pending review for Pine Siskin.
[2026-04-18 07:52:11] Support - Lena: That’s normal. If you have notes, flock size, or photos, adding them will help the regional reviewer.
[2026-04-18 07:52:36] Participant - Aaron: I wrote "flock of 9 feeding in alder catkins, buzzy rising calls." No photos.
[2026-04-18 07:52:59] Support - Lena: That is a useful note. No further action is needed unless a reviewer contacts you.
[2026-04-18 07:53:24] Participant - Aaron: Thanks, Lena. First survey submitted.
[2026-04-18 07:53:41] Support - Lena: You’re welcome. Thank you for contributing to the Spring Bird Atlas survey.