Gripes about UI and sorting/sifting observations. Or questions for the masses

[birdsandbugs21]

As an avid observer turned ravenous IDer of specific groups of insects, and very meticulous at both, I often find myself pursuing answers or seeking a specific set of observations without a way to actually get them.

For example, the interface that lists all of my IDs is incredibly limited, I would prefer an interface similar to observations, but for identifications. I want to see the IDs I made in the last week, or a certain part of the country. Similarly, if I make an ID of “Pachybrachis sp.”, but observation is still stuck in “Coleoptera”, I have 0 way to search for that observation without combing through every observation I’ve reviewed under Coleoptera, which is very time consuming. This would be helped if I could search by what I have suggested instead of what the current observation ID is.

Another gripe is the limitations for locations when searching for large-scale locations in the observations tab. Why can one not search for observations in “North America” in observations, if it is possible in the Identify tab? Why can I not also identify observations based on a created boundary with the circle or rectangle tool?

I would also like to know if it’s possible to search for observations based on who has IDed them. I have trouble keeping track of the observations I’ve IDed and can often only remember who else IDed them, so if I could search for observations based off of who has reviewed/IDed them, that would be very helpful.

Finally (at least for my current memory), Is there any way to view a discrete list of observations I have left comments on? Or relatedly see the comments I have left on observations? Or at the very very least, sort to see observations which I have commented on the most, separate from Faves?

I suppose this is a mildly aimless list of things I would like to see changed, and I ask if anybody else has encountered either these issues, and/or found solutions.

Edit: I would like to add that overall I do enjoy the efficiency features provided for both observers and IDers, many of which I would not have thought to add myself, and this is more of a mild vent than a harsh critique of the current system.

[yongestation]

You can filter by identifier on the explore page:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?ident_user_id=birdsandbugs21

Using the explore filters you seem to already be familiar with you can refine these to filter:

@birdsandbugs21

IDs I made in the last week, or a certain part of the country

Regarding:

@birdsandbugs21

Why can one not search for observations in “North America” in observations, if it is possible in the Identify tab?

There are two ways of filtering by location, the one more prominently displayed on the observations/explore page is based off google maps, the one more prominently displayed in Identify is based off user-defined places. To search for user-defined places in the observations page go Filters>More filters…>Places

which will allow you to filter to e.g. North America

@birdsandbugs21

Why can I not also identify observations based on a created boundary with the circle or rectangle tool?

You can! For this load up your circle/rectangle in the observations page, then go Filters>🔖Identify

This is a very useful tool as it lets you quickly apply any number of filters from the observations page to your identify search, in case you just want to ID hummingbirds within that rectangle seen last July or whatever.

@birdsandbugs21

I would also like to know if it’s possible to search for observations based on who has IDed them. I have trouble keeping track of the observations I’ve IDed and can often only remember who else IDed them, so if I could search for observations based off of who has reviewed/IDed them, that would be very helpful.

Unfortunately I don’t think this is easily accomplished without using the API

@birdsandbugs21

Finally (at least for my current memory), Is there any way to view a discrete list of observations I have left comments on? Or relatedly see the comments I have left on observations? Or at the very very least, sort to see observations which I have commented on the most, separate from Faves?

There’s this: https://www.inaturalist.org/comments?mine=true

but it’s not quite as nice to browse/filter as the observation page.

PS: for advanced filtering I find this indispensible: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/search+urls

[DianaStuder]

for the comments

https://www.inaturalist.org/comments?commit=Search&q=@dianastuder

then you have 3 sort options. For ‘by me’ or ‘on my obs’ you have a search box.

[wy_bio]

@birdsandbugs21

I would prefer an interface similar to observations, but for identifications.

I have started building a page to view identifcations for I website I’m working on.

https://inat-explorer.dataexplorers.info/identifications/

One big difference in my app vs the iNaturalist UI is that people can search for multiple species, places, people, and projects (for observations). Another difference is that I added more options for the filters. List of features for my site.

@birdsandbugs21

I want to see the IDs I made in the last week,

Search “Identifiers” birdsandbugs21. Use the “Filters”, “Date Identified” → “Start Date” and “End Date” to set the dates

https://inat-explorer.dataexplorers.info/identifications/?user_id=1132270&d1=2025-12-24&d2=2025-12-31

@birdsandbugs21

or a certain part of the country

Your observations in North America. Search “Identifiers” birdsandbugs21 and “iNaturalist Places” North America..

https://inat-explorer.dataexplorers.info/identifications/?place_id=97394&user_id=1132270

@birdsandbugs21

Similarly, if I make an ID of “Pachybrachis sp.”, but observation is still stuck in “Coleoptera”, I have 0 way to search for that observation without combing through every observation I’ve reviewed under Coleoptera, which is very time consuming.

You can search species using “Observed Species” or “Identified Species” .

@birdsandbugs21

I would also like to know if it’s possible to search for observations based on who has IDed them

On the observations page, you can search by “Observers”, “Identifiers”, and “Annotators”. On the observations page, search “Identifiers” birdsandbugs21.

The iNat observations API has a lot more options to filter records than the identifications API. Therefore my app has a lot more filters options for observations than identifications.

https://inat-explorer.dataexplorers.info/?ident_user_id=1132270&verifiable=true&spam=false

[birdsandbugs21]

@yongestation @DianaStuder @wy_bio Thank you all for the links and assistance! Seems like the majority of my problems have solutions :)

[einsum]

@birdsandbugs21

I want to see the IDs I made in the last week, or a certain part of the country.

You can chain the filters - starting with base url as mentioned above will get you observations you IDed, then you can chain with time filter &order_by=updated_at which has similar effect of seeing last week IDs although not exact. similarly you can also draw on map or select region or simply save your region filters somewhere.

@birdsandbugs21

Similarly, if I make an ID of “Pachybrachis sp.”, but observation is still stuck in “Coleoptera”, I have 0 way to search for that observation without combing through every observation I’ve reviewed under Coleoptera

you can use this https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?user_id=birdsandbugs21&taxon_id=176326 the UI is messy as you felt but atleast works

@birdsandbugs21

so if I could search for observations based off of who has reviewed/IDed them, that would be very helpful.

same as above url, you replace user_id

@birdsandbugs21

Finally (at least for my current memory), Is there any way to view a discrete list of observations I have left comments on? Or relatedly see the comments I have left on observations?

note that the URLs mentioned above cannot search comments within the identification. only discrete comment text is searched, iirc its requested to use search on both in forum but not changed still.

[asteroidowl]

There are two posts in this forum on how to use iNat’s search wikis - https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-use-inaturalists-search-urls-wiki-part-1-of-2/63/1

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-use-inaturalists-search-urls-wiki-part-2-of-2/18792/1