Merlin Bird ID Web Sighting Log Organizer

WHAT IT DOES

Merlin Bird ID Web Sighting Log Organizer automatically scans Merlin Bird ID sighting log pages and extracts comprehensive bird sighting data including species name, identification confidence percentage, location, date, time, and observation notes. The tool compiles all sighting data into a structured view with a scrollable list where you can select individual sightings or select all with a single checkbox. Summary statistics display total sightings, the top identified species, and the average confidence score across all sightings. With one click, you can export the selected sighting data as a CSV file ready for spreadsheet analysis or copy it directly to your clipboard. The tool saves your field selection preferences across sessions, so you always export the data you care about most. This makes it easy to track your birding history, analyze identification patterns, or share your sighting data with fellow birders.

WHERE IT RUNS

This extension operates exclusively on merlinbirdid.com domain pages that contain sighting log content—specifically pages with "/sightings", "/log", or "/history" in the URL path, or pages that display bird sighting lists and observation data. It works alongside the free BotGentz companion extension, which provides the necessary DOM access and page interaction capabilities. The sighting log organizer runs entirely within your local browser instance and does not communicate with any external servers or APIs. All sighting data extraction, selection, and CSV generation occurs on your machine, ensuring your birding data and log history remain private. It supports all modern Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera) and Firefox when paired with the BotGentz bridge.

HOW TO USE

After installing both BotGentz and this sighting log organizer, navigate to any Merlin Bird ID sighting log page. Within 1-2 seconds, a panel appears in the bottom-right corner displaying a summary of your sightings including total count, average confidence score, and the most frequently identified species. The "Sightings" section lists each sighting with its species name, confidence percentage, and date in a scrollable list with checkboxes. Use the "Select All" checkbox to quickly select all sightings, or select individual sightings manually. The "Export" section lets you choose which fields to include in your export—Species, Confidence, Date, Time, Location, Notes, and ID Method—with each field toggleable. Click "Export Selected CSV" to download the selected data as a CSV file, or click "Copy CSV" to copy it directly to your clipboard. Your field selection preferences are saved automatically across sessions.

SIGHTING DATA EXTRACTION AND CONFIDENCE ANALYSIS

The sighting log organizer uses a multi-strategy extraction system to locate and parse bird sighting data from Merlin Bird ID pages. It first attempts to find structured sighting elements using selectors based on the site's typical class naming patterns, including "sighting-item," "sighting-card," "observation-item," and "log-entry." When these selectors fail due to site updates, the tool falls back to scanning page content for species-like text patterns, looking for elements that contain species names with binomial nomenclature patterns or confidence indicators. For each detected sighting, the tool extracts species name through element selection or pattern matching for capitalized species names, confidence through pattern matching for percentage values with "confidence" labels, date through pattern matching for common date formats, time through pattern matching for time formats, location through element selection or pattern matching for "location:" labels, and notes through element selection or pattern matching for "notes:" or "comments:" labels. ID method is extracted through keyword detection for "Photo," "Sound," "Description," or "Manual." The average confidence score is calculated from all extracted confidence values, providing a summary of identification certainty.

THE PANEL

The sighting log organizer panel is a compact, functional overlay that integrates into the Merlin Bird ID page. It can be dragged by clicking and holding the title bar, positioning the panel anywhere on the screen for optimal visibility while you review your log. The panel includes a built-in snap feature that automatically aligns to the nearest screen edge when released within 48 pixels, keeping your workspace organized. Click the collapse arrow in the top-right corner to minimize the panel to a small icon bubble showing a gear emoji, preserving screen space while keeping the tool accessible. The panel is not resizable in this version, maintaining a consistent compact size that works on all screen resolutions. Press the Escape key to instantly hide the panel; press Escape again to restore it. All position, collapse state, and field selection preferences are saved locally using GM_setValue and persist across browsing sessions.

PLEASE NOTE

This extension requires the free BotGentz extension to function—the sighting log organizer does not work standalone. Merlin Bird ID occasionally updates its page layouts and log presentation formats, which may temporarily affect data extraction accuracy. The tool extracts sighting data from the visible page content; if log data is loaded dynamically after page load, you may need to wait a moment or refresh the page for the panel to populate. The CSV export uses standard CSV formatting with proper quoting for fields containing commas or quotes. Confidence scores are extracted as displayed and may vary based on the identification method used. The tool does not store or transmit any data; all sighting data extraction, selection, and CSV generation is performed entirely within your browser. This tool is designed for personal birding record-keeping and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Merlin Bird ID or the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Always verify sighting data against the official Merlin Bird ID records before relying on exported data for official or scientific purposes.