Step by Step Guide

View or download these instructions as a printable pdf file

1. Open the BRERC Maps Window
Click here to Open the BRERC Interactive Maps Window if you have not already done so.

2. Click on the Plus Sign (+)
On the map, click on the plus sign (+) on the right-hand side of the map window.
This will open a blue box overlaying the map.

3. Choose the Background Map
In the blue box, the top section is 'Base Layer' (or Background Map).
When you open the map, the OpenStreetMap base layer is selected: this is a plain background map, which is good for viewing the species distribution maps.


4. Move the Map
If you're interested in a particular area, then change the map using the controls on the left side of the map window.
Use the graduated scale to zoom in
Use the arrows to move the map (or move the mouse while holding down the left mouse key).

5. Choose What You Want to See on the Map
In the blue box, the bottom section is 'Overlays': this allows you to choose what to display on the map.
ie the information that will be overlaid on the background map.

Choose Taxon to see the distribution of a taxonomic group
Choose Scientific to see the distribution of a species by searching for a scientific (Latin) name
Choose Common to see the distribution of a species by searching for a common (English) name
Choose All Species if you want to see a summary of everything found in a particular grid square (1km²)

6. How to Use Each Option

• Taxon
  Select the Taxon box and a pop-up window appears pre-filled with an example taxon name: eg spider.
  Overtype this with the taxon you're interested in: eg damselfly, and click OK.
  Each grid square where this species has been recorded will be shaded in yellow.
  (NB You can find the Taxon names on the Taxon & Species Lists page.)
  
  Click on a grid square to see a summary for the taxon in that 1km². (Opens in a new window)
  
  
• Scientific
  Select the Scientific box and a pop-up window appears pre-filled with an example scientific species name: eg Geranium.
  Overtype this with the Scientific name of what you're looking for: eg Coenagrion puella (for Azure Damselfly), and click OK.
  You can use Genus or Genus+species names.
  Each grid square where this species has been recorded will be shaded in red.
  (NB The Scientific names for all Species are on the Taxon & Species Lists page.)
  
  Click on a grid square to see a summary for the species in that 1km². (Opens in a new window)
  
  
• Common
  Select the Common box and a pop-up window appears pre-filled with an example common species name: eg sparrow.
  Overtype this with the Common name of what you're looking for: eg Blackbird and click OK.
  However - there are limitations to searching via common names; eg a search for 'sparrow' will list records for house sparrow, tree sparrow and sparrowhawk.
  Each grid square where this species has been recorded will be shaded in red.
  (NB The correct forms of Common names used by BRERC for all Species are on the Taxon & Species Lists page.)
  
  Click on a grid square to see a summary for the species in that 1km². (Opens in a new window)
  
  
• All Species
  Select the All Species box to see a summary of all the species recorded in a 1km² grid square.
  This will overlay the map with a grid and label the grid squares.
  
  Click on a grid square to see a summary of all the species in that 1km². (Opens in a new window)
  The list is ordered by Scientific name, but the Common name is shown in a separate column.

More Help and Tips

• This application is best viewed in Chrome, Firefox, or Opera browsers. Internet Explorer is not recommended.


• Double-click to zoom in, and drag to move around the map. Hold down the shift key and drag to zoom to a particular region.
  Do all this before you switch on any overlays.


• Once you have sized and positioned the Record Summary window to your liking - do not close it until you have finished using the map window too.


• If you move the mouse (at all) while clicking on the map this will be interpreted as an attempt to move the map. To generate a Record Summary request the mouse needs to be kept quite still. This is easier if you make a slower more deliberate click.


• The Taxon and Species List filters automatically add wildcards to your search; but you may need to put a space before or after the name in order to get the desired result.


• There should be a menubar on the Record Summary window; if it's missing, it can be enabled in the browser options. You will then be able to use the Find facility in the Edit menu.


• The layer switcher can be closed if it becomes intrusive, for example if it obscures the map.

Finally …
If you have sent wildlife records to BRERC and can't see them on the map yet -
Please be aware that there may be a delay because all records are validated and verified in the BRERC office before they are stored on our database.
More information on what this involves can be found on the main BRERC website.

Feedback

This application is part of a BRERC initiative to provide more data to users via web services. As such it may be subject to further development, and 24/7 availability cannot be guaranteed.
Response times depend on a number of factors, some of which are outside our control, so be patient if things don't always happen as quickly as you expect.
In order to improve our services we need your feedback. Please send comments and suggestions to info@brerc.org.uk with the subject 'Interactive Maps Feedback'.