Verification explained

Verification

All records submitted to NatureSpot are checked to confirm the identification and details are correct - a process called verification. In conjunction with the Biological Records Centre (BRC) and the national iRecord website, we use a system with five choices. You will see the icons for these in the verification column of your My Records page.

What do the icons mean?

Correct
The verifier is able to confirm that the species has been identified correctly, usually on the basis of a photo.

Assumed correct

The verifier has not seen photo/s or specimen/s but has a high degree of confidence that the record is likely to be correct, based on difficulty of ID, date, location and recorder skills/experience etc.

Plausible

The record is plausible based on species, date and location, but there is not enough supporting evidence for the possibility of misidentification to be ruled out.

Unable to verify

The verifier thinks that the record is likely not to be correct based on difficulty of ID, date, location and recorder skills/experience (and where no photo/s or specimen/s are available); or photos are available but do not show enough detail to confirm the identification; and/or the record is not sufficiently well documented to confirm.

Incorrect

The verifier is able to confirm that the species has not been identified correctly, or the record is erroneous in other respects, on the basis of photo/s or specimen/s, or on information from the recorder.

County Recorders

In Leicestershire and Rutland, the records for each main taxon group are checked and coordinated by an expert 'County Recorder'. The final verification status for all records is made by the County Recorder. If we are advised by a County Recorder that the verification status needs to change we will amend the record. This checking process usually takes place at the year end so it is possible that a record may be accepted/rejected some time after it has been initially reviewed by NatureSpot.

Find out more?

All NatureSpot records are automatically stored on the BRC server and some verification is done by a range of national experts.

Could you help to verify records?

All NatureSpot verifiers are volunteers with good identification skills in one or more wildlife groups. Many just verify a single group, such as birds or dragonflies, on even just a smaller group such as bumblebees, where they feel confident to check the identification of a record. If you think you could help with thje verification of NatureSpot records, even just of a single group or perhaps of common species you are familiar with, then please get in touch: info@naturespot.org.uk