Here's how to add observations

Using iNaturalist is easy, but here is a little extra help:

1. From the project page, click Add Observations to this Project. You will be taken to a screen to sign into iNaturalist.

If you are signing into iNaturalist for the first time, use one of the following options:

·        Create a username and password. You will receive an email with a link that you must use to activate the account.

·        Sign in with your Google, Yahoo, Flickr, Facebook, or Twitter account. If you do this, the next screen will ask you to click to approve or allow linking to that account.  With Facebook and Twitter, look carefully at the permissions you’d be giving.

Either during this initial sign-in process or later in your Profile, indicate your time zone (Pacific) and indicate how the data you enter can be shared.  Here, you can grant a general Creative Commons license, meaning that others can use but not sell your information and photos. 

Once you sign in, click on Dashboard, then Profile, and then Edit Account Settings and Profile.  Here you have another chance to set the time zone. and you can set details of how you are willing to share data and photos. You can give information about yourself. You can set links to accounts such as Google and Flickr so you can sign in with them in future. When you are done, return to the project page.

2. Joining the project: Once you are signed in at the project page, click Add Observations to this Project. At the upper left, read the project terms. If you agree, click the box to join the project. 

3. Adding observations: Once you have signed in and joined the project, click Add Observations to this Project.  Here is a good way to fill in the screen that comes up:

a. If you have a photo, upload it first (Add photos, right side of screen).  Click on Source to choose to upload from your hard drive or from Picasa, Facebook, or Flickr.  Things are easier if you have already georeferenced and tagged your photos.

·        An iNaturalist video that shows uploading from Flickr accounts as an example is here

·        An iNaturalist video that shows uploading photos in a batch, using Facebook as an example and with lots more information on using iNaturalist with Facebook, is here

b. In Where were you, center of screen, enter "Hillside Natural Area, El Cerrito, CA” and click Search. This will zoom in on the project map. Zoom in -- you can zoom in closer if you use "map" or "satellite" view. Click as near as you can to where you saw plant or animal. This creates a marker.

c. In What did you see, left side of screen, enter the common or Latin name if you know it. Don’t worry too much about getting this right. The iNaturalist community will help, especially if you click the ID please box.

d. In When did you see it, enter the date of the observation. You can use text (e.g. June 20, 2011), yyyy-mm-dd, or the clickable calendar.

e. In Description, besides any information needed for identification, for plants please describe as precisely as you can how we can find the plant. Include trails, landmarks, and nearby vegetation if you can. For example, you might say, “about 399 ft. north of service road running downhill from King Court, under trees in glade near small creek.”

This project is an aid to creating an accurate map to be used in managing this important natural area. We’d welcome your interest in getting involved further -- please contact Friends of Five Creeks f5creeks@aol.com or 510 848 9358. We have detailed surveys and forms you can use.

f. Click Save observation or Save and add another.

That's all there is to it!

If you use an iPhone, get the free iNaturalist app here See a video on how to use it here.