Written by Lisa Chilton, NBN Trust CEO
My New Year’s Resolution for 2022 was to revisit a long-neglected hobby, and one that anyone can take part in: wildlife recording. The aim was to commandeer my usually passive appreciation of nature and put it to work, collecting data about wildlife. As the saying goes, “What gets measured gets done”. We need to be able to measure biodiversity to protect it. With better data, we can understand the state of the UK’s wildlife, set targets for its recovery, and measure progress.
And now, in mid-December, I’m almost there – which sets it apart from numerous previous resolutions. Learning to knit, mastering the harmonica…these and many other self-improvement goals have fallen by the wayside in years gone by. But wildlife recording is vastly more achievable, not least for someone, like me, with no discernible musical or crafting talent. The various online tools mean you can start making a valued contribution straightaway, with no prior experience, and then learn more day by day. That said, if I’m totally honest, I’ve not been nearly as prolific in my recording as I’d envisaged at the outset – but I do have more to show for it than the tangled ball of yarn lurking at the back of my wardrobe.
So, what were the highlights? Seeing my portfolio of sightings on iNaturalistUK growing with each new record has been extremely rewarding. It’s not the only app I use – I sometimes enter sightings on iRecord instead, if I can identify the species myself (see blogposts 2 and 3 for more on this) – but iNaturalistUK tends to be my ‘go to’ for quickly sharing a record. I also loved taking part in City Nature Challenge (along with 1.6 million other recorders worldwide) and Every Flower Counts (see blogpost 5), and I’m sure I’ll continue to intersperse my ‘ad hoc’ casual recording with organised events like these, which have the benefit of a clear focus, hard deadlines and prompt feedback.
Seeing more wildlife was, of course, another great attraction. Not that I went out of my way or spent more time looking for it. It was more a state of mind. One of my favourite quotes is from Simon Barnes in ‘How to be a bad birdwatcher’. He says, “I don’t go birdwatching. I am birdwatching.” So it is, with my wildlife-watching. This year I was more aware of wildlife, all the time. And if I was able to grab a quick photo and upload my sighting, then all the better.
Without question, the year’s biggest reward for “being wildlife-watching” was seeing my first ever Hen Harrier, a male, while driving my son to a Halloween party. We rounded a bend and there he was, sat on a fencepost, his flawless, pale grey plumage catching the evening light. We didn’t know what he was at the time, but we both knew he was something different – not a familiar Kestrel, Sparrowhawk or Buzzard. He looked at us for a brief moment before flying off over the fields, flashing his dramatic black wingtips. A chance first encounter with one of the UK’s most persecuted species. I hope it won’t be my last.
The NBN Conference in November was another highlight, and the perfect way to round off my year. This annual event – the pinnacle of the NBN calendar – brings together all those interested in collecting, curating, sharing and using biodiversity data. From influencing nature policies to helping toads across roads, the 2022 conference showcased the wealth of ways in which our community is making data work for nature. The conference was followed by the 2022 NBN Awards for Wildlife Recording, which celebrated the outstanding contributions of the winners and runners-up. It was a heart-warming and humbling reminder of the incredible dedication, passion and expertise in our midst. Many congratulations to Amy Fleming, Joe Fryer, James Common, Matt Slater, Kate Williams, Steve Allain, Imogen Cavadino, Steve McWilliam, Tice’s Meadow Bird Group, Harrow Nature Conservation Forum and the UK Trichoptera (Caddisfly) Recording Scheme.
I’d also like to give my heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped and inspired me over the past year. There are far too many for me to list, but I’d like to give a special mention to my wonderful team at the NBN Trust, who work day-in, day-out to make data work for nature.
As 2023 rolls in, I know that I’m going to continue my journey in wildlife recording. It has given me enormous pleasure and satisfaction to know that, record by record, I’m contributing to nature’s recovery. I’m going to keep blogging too – though I’ll probably take in a wider range of topics in 2023. I hope you’ll join me.
Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year that’s bursting with wildlife.