Field notes #
Note is a quick auxiliary entry anchored in time and place. It can be saved without species, a photo or a site, and later opened and edited.
What a Note is for #
A Note does not replace a full record. It is used to save information that matters for field work but is not yet a full observation. This can be a description of conditions, a reminder about material, a remark about a site, or information for later verification.
Saving requires content, a date and a valid GPS point. The date is the event date or the current date when no other date is provided. Species, photo and site are optional. A site only groups entries around a named place; it does not replace the Note's GPS.
A Note is still a record, but a second record type. It is not a Record with empty fields and not a Nature or Breeding variant. The type enables deliberate filtering and separate display where a view needs it; in a species context it appears as Species notes.
How to choose Note #
In the full form, first choose Entry type: Record or Note. For a Record, a separate Source: Nature or Breeding choice is available. After choosing Note, the notes field becomes the most important part; acquisition source, breeding stage and a date range do not apply.
Where notes appear #
- On the main record list, a note can appear as an entry of type Note.
- When filtering by a specific species, notes can be shown below the list as Species notes.
- On the species page, notes are shown below the record table.
- On the site page, a note linked to that site is visible in the site's record list.
Note and iNaturalist #
A Note is not a standard candidate for publication to iNaturalist. iNaturalist is for publishing observations of organisms with a date, a location and documentation. A Note can, however, help prepare a later record, for example by describing breeding material or conditions at a site.