Tools & Setup
Merlin + eBird checklist workflow
Logging a birding walk without staring at the phone: Merlin for sound, eBird for the list, photos matched later.
In the field
Start an eBird checklist at the trailhead and let it track the route. Run Merlin sound ID only in short bursts, to check a song you do not know. Keep the phone in a pocket otherwise.
After
Submit the checklist the same day while the counts are fresh. Add photos of anything rare or tricky so the reviewer can confirm it.
Matching photos
The camera clock and phone clock must agree. Set the camera time from the phone every month or the photo times drift; the P1100 drifts faster than the Z6III.