This new forum format is frustrating..

[Patrick W. Dusek]

Jose, I think the main problem is when you have to report a scout, and so far you have not seen one so thats when you might have a problem like most of us had. Thanks Patrick

[Jose Rodriguez]

True Patrick! No Martins to report. But I am seeing Tree Swallows at my work!

[John & Linda - KY]

I'd like to see someone pull information on how many reports had been filed to this date on previous years versus this year. That will give at least a rough idea how many potential reporters have been deterred by the new process. -- John

[Don Troha]

Here's what I counted for the number of reports filed this year thru 2/17 compared to last five years (TX & LA only):

Texas:
Thru 2/17/16 61
Thru 2/17/15 190
Thru 2/17/14 250
Thru 2/17/13 308
Thru 2/17/12 193
Thru 2/17/11 142

Louisiana:
Thru 2/17/16 76
Thru 2/17/15 114
Thru 2/17/14 134
Thru 2/17/13 137
Thru 2/17/12 112
Thru 2/17/11 74

[tonyg]

Here's what I counted for the number of reports filed this year thru 2/17 compared to last five years (TX & LA only):

Texas:
Thru 2/17/16 61
Thru 2/17/15 190
Thru 2/17/14 250
Thru 2/17/13 308
Thru 2/17/12 193
Thru 2/17/11 142

Louisiana:
Thru 2/17/16 76
Thru 2/17/15 114
Thru 2/17/14 134
Thru 2/17/13 137
Thru 2/17/12 112
Thru 2/17/11 74

Either they are late arriving...or landlords are not reporting, looking at those numbers..

[BioJoe]

We would love to hear suggestions on ways to improve the new system. Please e-mail us with any problems you're having or changes that you'd like to see. We have already made many improvements to the process thanks to user feedback and many more are currently in development.

Please understand that the change to use a login for scout reporting was made in order to improve the quality of data that we receive from this scientific study. In the past, reporters would use different names or addresses from year to year causing problems with data analysis. Having reports associated with a particular login will help to resolve that problem.

Change is not always welcome, but sometimes it is necessary. We ask that you please bear with us during the transition. Everyone here has the same goal of conserving Purple Martins. The scout-arrival study is one of the tools that we use to that end.

Joe Siegrist, Research and Outreach Director
PMCA

[rrmartins]

I just tried to add a scout report, and I couldn't do it without changing my password, so I didn't report.

[DornCounty]

We would love to hear suggestions on ways to improve the new system. Please e-mail us with any problems you're having or changes that you'd like to see. We have already made many improvements to the process thanks to user feedback and many more are currently in development.

Please understand that the change to use a login for scout reporting was made in order to improve the quality of data that we receive from this scientific study. In the past, reporters would use different names or addresses from year to year causing problems with data analysis. Having reports associated with a particular login will help to resolve that problem.

Change is not always welcome, but sometimes it is necessary. We ask that you please bear with us during the transition. Everyone here has the same goal of conserving Purple Martins. The scout-arrival study is one of the tools that we use to that end.

Joe Siegrist, Research and Outreach Director
PMCA

I don't know what you could do.. the pain is creating the login that was previously not required, but as you said it is necessary. Once the login is made reporting the scout seems pretty easy.

[John & Linda - KY]

We would love to hear suggestions on ways to improve the new system. Please e-mail us with any problems you're having or changes that you'd like to see. We have already made many improvements to the process thanks to user feedback and many more are currently in development.

Please understand that the change to use a login for scout reporting was made in order to improve the quality of data that we receive from this scientific study. In the past, reporters would use different names or addresses from year to year causing problems with data analysis. Having reports associated with a particular login will help to resolve that problem.

Change is not always welcome, but sometimes it is necessary. We ask that you please bear with us during the transition. Everyone here has the same goal of conserving Purple Martins. The scout-arrival study is one of the tools that we use to that end.

Joe Siegrist, Research and Outreach Director
PMCA

OK, I just went through the process of entering a scout report to see what it's going to be like. The only problem I see is having to create a new account for this purpose, which I had already done. My suggestions -- 1. Put a link to the Scout report page on (at least) the home page and the forum index page, 2. On the scout report page put a brief explanation of why a new account is required, and 3. Give the reporter the option to duplicate all information, including log-in name and password, from the existing account for use in scout reporting. -- John

[JamesinIA]

I am just wondering how many people are going to forget their login name and password when they only use this function once a year. Is there a way to recover that information if lost?

[AnnieM]

I, too, had a little trouble when the new site first came up. Is working fine now on both my desktop and my husband's iPad. Sometimes it seems like I have to click on a button a couple of times, and be patient. Once I logged out and started over. Yes, logins and passwords are a pain!! Banks, shopping web sites, utilities, good grief Charlie Brown!! But we understand the PMCA's attempt to keep our reports in some kind of order. I try to remember that exercising our gray matter will keep those little synapses moving as we trundle along the highway of life into our "elder years." KEEP TRYING everyone. It will work... and remember the old saying, "You CAN teach an old dog new tricks. You just don't want to watch the dog doing them."

[John & Linda - KY]

My computer (I don't have a smart phone or other internet access) offers the option to save log-in information, I chose to do so. I also used the same log-in information I used on my other account, and have it saved in a paper list. -- John

[~Ray~Gingerich]

OK, I just checked the scout arrival map, all i see is cluster of purple dots with no states outlined, it looks like a cluster of grapes hanging on the vines rather than a map, it's sad, I don't think many people will report this year. Sorry but I don't like this new forum, same thing with the new update magazine format.

[rrmartins]

When I tried to create a new account, it would not let me, since the same email address was in use on my account here. I only have one email address. Maybe I'm missing something.

[BioJoe]

If you get an error stating that your email address is already in use when trying to create an account, it's because you are already in our system. If you don't remember what your previous password was (keep in mind that is separate from the forum information and may not be the same) just enter your email in the forgotten password form https://www.purplemartin.org/account/fo ... ssword.php and a new password will be emailed to you. If for some reason you don't receive the email (be sure to check your spam folders), contact us via the connect page https://www.purplemartin.org/connect/ and we can help you to reset your password.

Those of you who are only seeing a huge purple blob on the map are not zooming in. You can click on the plus on the map or use your mouse scroll wheel to zoom in on particular areas.

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

When I tried to log in the first time with the new system, it would not take it. With help from the PMCA office, I was finally able to get logged on. I can't find it on the new system but if I recall correctly, there were approximately 3,500 PMCA members. I would guess about 90% of those members do not participate in forum discussions. Possibly when non-participating members go to report their scouts, they are having trouble logging in and just don't report their scouts rather than trying to figure out how to log in. I know several southern landlords who have reported their first martins running 7-10 days late from previous years. Even with the low numbers due to late arrivals, I believe a lot of scout reports this season are not being reported and therefore the numbers for 2016 will not be of much use for statistical purposes.