Manx BirdLife

The challenge

Increase in bird records impacts outdated database 

In recent years, the number of bird records submitted by the public to Manx BirdLife has surged from approximately 2,000 records annually to over 60,000 due to the growing interest in wildlife and the natural environment. In addition to these public submissions, Manx BirdLife collects tens of thousands of records each year through their own surveys and censuses of important species.  

Capturing, compiling, verifying, and storing this vast amount of data is a significant and ongoing task, reliant on the efforts of many volunteers and requiring an efficient database system. The original Manx National Ornithological Database was developed in 1998, and desperately needed updating to cope with the increased volume bird records from across the Island. 

The solution  

A new utility to cope with demand  

To address this challenge, PDMS designed and developed a new database utility tailored to efficiently manage the large volume of bird records. The new system would modernise the charity’s data management capabilities and improve their operational efficiency, supporting their vital conservation work on the Isle of Man. 

The project  

PDMS’s approach to this project involved several key steps. The design and development phase saw PDMS’s developers creating a new utility to streamline the process of adding thousands of bird records to the database each year. The testing and installation phase ensured the software underwent rigorous testing and was installed successfully, ensuring it met the needs of Manx BirdLife. 

The results 

The new utility developed by PDMS has proven to be highly effective, significantly enhancing the efficiency of Manx BirdLife’s data management processes. To date, Manx BirdLife has successfully uploaded 394,000 records to the database and an additional 100,000 entries have been prepared for upload, a task made possible by the new utility. 

The benefits  

The implementation of the new database utility has streamlined the data entry process, saving the charity both time and money. The ability to handle a vast number of records also ensures that Manx BirdLife can continue to accommodate the growing interest in birdwatching and wildlife recording.  

By automating and simplifying data management, the charity can focus more on their core mission of conserving the island’s wild birds and their habitats. Additionally, the new system enhances the accuracy and reliability of the data, which is crucial for ongoing monitoring and conservation activities.