SANParks.org Forums

Hi All

I am new to birding and I need a good referencing tool for when Im in the field. Does anyone here use the Sasol eBirds app on android or Apple? Is it any good or should I just get a book? (Baring in mind that the app costs +- R240)

Hi Pannekoek,

I have the Sasol e-Birds on my Android phone. It is quite useful as it also provides calls of most species.
Not as good as the Roberts version but still worth the money.

I have the Roberts app on my Windows based phone as well as the Roberts software on my laptop.

I have a whole bunch of books as well. The more interested you become in birding the more books you are going to end up with. The app will never completely substitute a book.

Have to agree with WTM

Recently downloaded Sasol to my Android tablet, the grandkids love it, confusing the birds in the garden with the calls.

Also have Roberts on my laptop, has more drawings plus photos and videos. I am slowly building my personal list with my photos.

Lots of books too, have a special bag for them when we go out.

Does anyone know how I can move my Roberts to another laptop?

Eish, thought I'm the only one with bags full of book when we go out...

I have the Sasol e-birds on my i-pad and its nice, but I found it not complete, missing quite a few birdies, maybe there will be an update soon.

But now I'm interested in the Roberts digital version and I know I will buy it before the end of the year.

Agree with WTM, the more the better!

So ... if I want to go for only one app (besides all the books), would you recommend rather spending the extra money on the Roberts?

I would defimitely recommend spenging the extra money for Roberts. All the photos are a big help

The only problem is that the Android version for Roberts has not yet been released as far as I am aware.

Hi DavenJan,

There is only one way and that is to actually un-install the program on your current laptop and then install it again on the other laptop. Go to control pannel and open (Windows 7). Then to Programs and Features and select Roberts and request for it to be un-installed. It is actually a shame that you cannot use the software on more than one laptop at a time. Had to buy two for me and Hilda to use at the same time .

Thanks barryels,

Presumably that means that I would have to rebuild all my personal lists too.

Dave, you should be able to back it up and then just restore it onto your new computer.

Hi Panekoek!



I've got the Sasol eBirds app on my iPad and the Roberts on my laptop. And I'm not an expert birder looking for my 800th bird - I'm a bit more in the beginning stages of birding - so I think I understand what you are looking for. Firstly - you cannot really take the Roberts (with laptop and all) into the field... Secondly - the Roberts is very thorough - pictures, photos and even pictures of eggs and the like. But the Sasol eBirds has all the pictures you would get in a birdbook, and more. It has all the calls, distribution and times of year. And it can be found on your iPad, iPhone etc - much easier to carry with you.

I bought the Sasol eBirds a few months ago and as a beginner - I use it 10 times more often than the Roberts. It is quick and easy to access. It has most of the info I am interested in on it. You will NOT be disappointed!

The Sasol guide is cost effective and can be loaded on a Blackberry or other mobile device like iPhone or iPad .
The Roberts is more detailed and expensive and is also available for iPhone or iPad.
Ultimately if you start with the Sasol you'll love it so much you'll also want the Roberts in due course!
Enjoy

Rumours say that the Roberts app should be available in the next few days.

It was briefly released over the weekend before the discovery of a nasty bug forced the developers to pull it of Google Play.

The Roberts version on the Ipad way out performs the other mediums and the Sasol apps, its even better than the PC version from a field use perspective. I would wait for it.

I find these Apps very frustrating in the long term. I have the original Roberts for a PDA. Now that the PDA batteries don't hold their charge, and all sorts of other crap and costs associated with the upkeep of "another electronic device" plus I cannot transfer this thing to a new mobile device because it is not compatible. I may as well throw it away. The same will be true for the sasol birds my wife got for her i-Pad in a few years it will be redundant. So the cost adds up on these things that you have to get a new disk/app every few years which becomes expensive. In comparison, I still have and use my first edition of Newmans (the book) without any problems!

To be honest, these days the only thing I use are the calls. I have a camera to take images, a book and internet to look them up. An app with the calls would be the most useful, compact cheap and easy to transfer from one device to another.

I guess if you have loads of cash, and enjoy the techno stuff, then the Roberts is still better than the much improved version of Sasol.

My rant and 5c worth.