The link below will take you to a Somerset Environmental Records Centre (SERC) page that lets you log into a private ENHS account under their Online Recording System (ORS). The e-mail address to use is records@enhs.org.uk and to obtain the password, please contact us via this same e-mail and it will be sent to you. We will keep a list of all members who use this system so that everyone can be kept updated of any changes.
Records entered online are later added into the ENHS MapMate system and then forwarded back to the main SERC database. SERC is the main centre holding data on wildlife sightings, types of environments and geological information for Somerset.
Click here to go to the SERC ORS login page.
Once you enter the SERC ORS system you will arrive on the Home page. From here you can ‘Enter Records’, ‘View Records’ or use the ‘More’ option to see record locations shown on a map. After you have finished, click ‘Recorder/Log Out’ to free up the system for others to use.
Please be aware that any records you add will be able to be seen by other ENHS members who also add online records. If you want your record to be confidential, please instead e-mail details to ‘records@enhs.org.uk’
Enter records –
This may seem complicated when you start but really is very easy once you have done it a few times – see details at the end of the notes as to how to speed up entering lots of records.
Click the ‘Enter Records’ in the green heading bar
Click ‘Dataset D0022 – ENHS Data’ NB – please never use ‘Standard Entry’
Follow the guidance below to enter all your records.
What and how many did you see?
What – As you write the species name in the box a dropdown list of options will appear for you to select from.
Add your confidence on what you have seen, from * (very unsure) to ***** (certain)
If you used an App to help identify you sighting, please tick this box
Abundance – Just enter the number you saw. If no count is possible and you want to record that something was present, leave the first input box empty and select ‘present’ in the second.
Choose what was counted – if known for certain.
Note that another abundance can be added if required, for example 2 adults and 3 juveniles.
Attachments – You can add photos if you would like however we are not able to copy these into MapMate – they will remain in ORS only.
Record Type and Sampling methods are not used – please add any details you want in Notes section
Where?
Please give us the location of your sighting. This can be done in a number of ways.
Grid Ref – if you already know this – just enter this in the box.
If you do not know the grid reference. click on the ‘Map’ box and one will appear. Zoom in/out on a location using the maps right-hand sidebar (+,-) to change the accuracy of the map. Use your mouse/trackpad to move around the map area. Once you have found the location of your sighting,(click the map and a red square box will appear and the grid reference will be displayed at the top of the map) simply click on the (+Insert Grid Reference) text to select it and the grid reference will be inserted for you
Grid Ref Type – pick the option that applies – it will default to ‘Selected from Interactive Map’ if this was what you used
Site Name – Add a sensible name to the site, for example, Porlock Marsh, Luckbarrow Garden. Please do not use a generic term such as ‘in the garden’.
Who?
Recorder – Add the name of the actual person who found and saw the species.
Note that you can click the ‘+Add another recorder’ text to bring up an addition recorder box
Note that you can click the ‘+Add a Determiner’ text to bring up an additional box to enter a determiner name – a determiner should be a recognised knowledgeable person for that species.
When?
Date – You have the option of a single ‘Full Date’ or a ‘Vague Date’ or you can select to add a ‘Date Range’ – whatever is appropriate.
Tip – Clicking in a date box brings up a calendar for you to select from.
Anything else?
Notes – Let us know things that may be important that you could not tell us elsewhere in the standard form. Were there say ‘at least 20’ or ‘more than 20’ Were they showing particular behaviour? Pretty much anything you think might be useful for us to know.
Tip – before you do the final action to submit a record – are you going to add more than one? If so, note that there are padlock symbols next to all input fields. If you click on one/many of these – this keeps the input already entered ready for the next record – e.g location. Remember though to unlock the input cells when you need to!
Submit Record
When you have put in all the information press submit for it to be saved. The screen will refresh back to being empty – unless you have used the padlocks to lock any cells
View Records
In the green heading bar, you can select to view all the records that you and other ENHS members have entered. Again, please select ‘Dataset D0022 – ENHS Data’ and you will see a list of what we have all seen and recorded.
There are a few features here that you might find useful.
You can use the ‘Filters’ option to only see records that you entered. Select the filter type as ‘Recorder’ and then add some part of your name in the ‘Search for text’ box. Then click the ‘Apply filter’ box. Once you have a filter in place, you now have the new option box to ‘Clear Filters’
You can use the ‘Tools’ option to show all/filtered records on an interactive map. Due to our setup, you will need to toggle the ‘not in use for any other reason’ option for items to display.
You are able to alter records you have previously entered (perhaps to correct a location) – please only update records that YOU have entered and ONLY for the current year. If you wish to alter any earlier records, please advise by e-mail to ‘records@enhs.org.uk’
One final request
Please do not amend any data under ‘Recorder/My Account’
Do you need further help?
If you have further questions, please send these to ‘records@enhs.org.uk’ – this is a new system for all of us and the answer to your question may be helpful to others.