Everyone is talking about the weather, every day. Too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too windy and, very occasionally, just perfect. Our climate is changing and we wonder what effect that will have on our wildlife populations. The changes may be disruptive to the growth of plants, the breeding cycles of insects, and survival of those that feed on them.

The Met Office provides long-term weather records for the UK, for example, in 2024 the UK experienced its warmest May on record, in a series going back to 1884. But what of Bedfordshire?

For 20 years, from 2004 to 2023 when she stood down, Angela Bucknell was our Meteorological Recorder, publishing an annual report of our county’s weather in the Bedfordshire Naturalist. Before her, Mike Williams was Meteorological Recorder for 27 years, and so it goes back to the establishment of the BNHS in 1946 with Arthur Guppy writing the very first report. The annual weather reports, providing more detailed information on local weather records, are very important in interpreting what might be happening with changes to the pattern of wildlife records that we are observing. Archived copies of the earlier journals can be found on the BNHS website

It is important that we fill the current vacancy of Meteorological Recorder and we hope that someone, perhaps you, will show an interest in taking on the role. You may already have an interest in the subject, and perhaps have a weather station at home, but those are not essentials. Recorders are asked to give a 5-minute presentation to the AGM and to provide an annual report for the journal, but it would be up to you how it is presented and how much detail is included.

Speaking with Angela, she said that she made weather notes every day, whether relating to her weather station at home, general observations, or from highlights mentioned in the media. There is also a network of people around the county that provided regular weather updates to her, such as rain gauge records. Angela would be happy to talk with you about the role and share information. Her first report, for 2004, was published in the Bedfordshire Naturalist for 2004, page 4, and her last report was in the Bedfordshire Naturalist 2022, page 3.

Photographs of weather events are also of interest and, occasionally, meteorological phenomenon occur, the most spectacular recent occurrence being the Aurora Borealis in May, which many people were lucky enough to see, even in Bedfordshire.

So, please do consider whether you would like to get involved, and contact me at journal@bnhs.org.uk

Rosemary Brind
Hon. Editor

All photos courtesy of Keith Balmer