How to start observing

Hello!

I’m new to iNaturalist, and I’ve always enjoyed observing animals and being curious about nature. I recently moved to an area with more rivers and salt flats (salinas), and I’m really interested in exploring this type of ecosystem — it seems incredibly diverse!

Do you have any tips on how to explore it responsibly? For example:

  • How can I avoid disturbing the local wildlife?
  • What should I wear or bring with me?
  • Is it safe to go alone, or is it better to go with a group?
  • In this activity, is it common to have local groups or communities that i can join?

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated (since I know close to nothing about it :sweat_smile:). Thank you!

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Just don’t go too near nests or anything. Deer and other large wildlife pass through nature regularly.

I suggest boots if you’re near rivers.

Generally it’s mostly safe alone, but it’s certainly better (and more fun!) to go with a group of other people.

Yes.

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Welcome to iNaturalist and welcome to the forum!
Check out iNat’s YouTube channel.
There are forum posts on what we wear and what we carry…
I’m not familiar with the environment you’re exploring so I would need to consult books, posts, existing observations first. I’d probably contact the local department of natural resources for info, too.

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Idk, I believe it’s safer with many people. Trust me, you do not want to be stuck in a swamp with no one to help. I’ve fell into (and got stuck in) deceptively deep swamps while dragonfly-hunting and it is TERRIFYING. Plus, y’know, who’s gonna rush you to the hospital if you’re bitten by a pit-viper. At least that’s how it is in India.

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  • How can I avoid disturbing the local wildlife?
    Don’t step on eggs and don’t step on snakes
  • What should I wear or bring with me?
    Camera
  • Is it safe to go alone
    If you are asking, it is not safe until you get your bearings:
    What can eat you? What can bite you, big or small?
    When is the hunting season?
    Where is unstable terrain that is not passable?
    Where are the places where people with cameras are not welcome? (for any reason)
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Be aware of any conservation projects in the areas you explore. Where I am some areas have posted signage and boundaries for protected environments and species. Learn about the potential dangers you could face where you go whether it be wildlife or the landscape. Wear clothing thats not super tight or loose and it’s generally better to stay well covered in my experience. Avoid bright colors unless you’re in an area with active hunting. Plan for your trip accordingly.. are you going out for an hour or two or will you be out all day? Eat before you leave and have at least a snack and water with you.. don’t leave any trash at all. I find being enthusiastic, open, and curious with what I’m passionate about attracts like-minded people. Finally.. wearing INat merch in public can fish out some good conversations depending on where you are.

Welcome!

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1: stay away from nesting sites and if you flip rocks or log, put them back EXACTLY as you found them.

2: Water, your phone and if you’re near water, boots or waders

3: usually best to be in at least a pair of more

4: I don’t know any off the top of my head, but there are definitely a lot.

Good luck and happy observing :)

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… as long as they’re wanting to ‘walk’ at a similar speed or stay for a similar length of time. Going for walks when one person wants to take a million photos and the other person just wants to arrive is a recipe for frustration. :-)

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https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/whats-in-your-field-kit/1421

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/so-what-are-you-wearing/45660

If your camera uses batteries bring extra!
If you’re going to wet places waterproof your camera! Falling or dropping or splashing…

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Having a fully charged phone and power bank is ideal and letting someone who wont be with you know where you’re going is also a good habit for your safety. Depending on what you’re looking to observe avoid wearing colognes or perfumes. I also avoid wearing bug spray when first going out but I keep it on me in case they become unbearable.. my area has dense populations of mosquitoes. An extra pair of socks can be a life saver if you have the space to carry them.

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Truer words haven’t been spoken.

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Have you looked for local iNat projects? Species list.

And then the iNatters who are active there ? Like minded company, or a nature group to join.

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Just keep a good, safe distance, especially from bird nests and mammals. From my experience, mammals, once spooked, they don’t usually come back again. So, if you have a choice, take photos from away, but you can hope that animal might return, and, perhaps, get used to your presence.

Apart from the clothes, never forget your camera or phone - you never know what you might find. I got used to carrying my camera in many places I go to, just in case I find some cool organism.
As for clothes, get informed about the location where you’re going observing, the weather there and what habitat you’re going to (wetland, desert, grassland or something else), so you can take the proper clothes with you.

In most of the times, it depends where you want to go. Forests, mountain trails and wild reserves are best visited in groups, as you never know what you might find (in Romania we have a SERIOUS problem with brown bears).
Sometimes though, you don’t even have to go far to see cool organisms. For a start, you can just visit your backyard - it’s amazing to see what you can find in a garden if you wait long enough, sometimes it’s a matter of minutes until you find a new butterfly, bird, insect or, who knows? something else.

Communities are a great way to interact with people with the same passion as yours: for example, I joined the eBird community this year, as I’m specialized in ID-ing birds (even though I mostly observe bugs :joy:). As you find your own favorite things to observe, you’ll find the communities you’re interested in easier.
As for me, I consider iNat a community big enough for me to stop searching for something else :smile:

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Thank you for your reply! There are so many details a person can forget, and above all, I don’t want to disturb any living beings.

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My biggest concern is not disturbing any living beings. I feel like I’m about to enter the homes of many creatures without being invited, so I want to cause as little disturbance as possible!
In terms of safety, here in Portugal I’d say the most dangerous animals would be wolves or lynxes — but they’re rare and completely outside the area I’ll be exploring. This region is closer to a river and the sea, so it’s more about birds, bugs…
As for communities — that’s awesome! I really hope I’ll be able to find something here!

Thanks for the reply and great tips! Its a river area near the sea with salt pans. There are a lot of bird like flamingoes, herons, stilt sandpipers…

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I’ve been using iNaturalist for about a month now. Portugal is a small country, and I tried looking for specific projects in my area, but unfortunately I haven’t found much so far.

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Heed the warnings of the wildlife. If you hear alarm calls from one specific direction, go the other way. If you get dive-bombed, uh, I don’t know why you’d want to stay anyway.

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You can also look for iNat Places - and see if there is an associated checklist.
Or go by taxon, if you have a particular interest. Not Portugal, but mine

Silvermine Nature Reserve

Surely your salinas have a place or a project?

I’d suggest focusing on a particular category to start with (e.g. insects, herps, birds, plants) as a primary target, to give yourself focus, but watching for other interesting things outside that group as well.

This is subjective. For me, it’s more enjoyable to go alone. Ultimately a matter of personal preference

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