Watching wildlife just for fun is fine. Many people, though, progress to submitting wildlife records. So what is a wildlife record and why are they so important?

A wildlife record is basically a log of who saw what, where, when, and when they are all put together these records give us a pretty good idea of the wildlife we have here in Bedfordshire, and how it changes over time.

We’re not the only ones doing this, all counties have their own records and together they show what is happening to wildlife across the UK. You can read what the records tell us about what happened in Bedfordshire in 2013 and in 2014.

Many groups work with the BNHS to record wildlife in their local areas, this is what Pat and Charles Baker have to say about their work on Studham Common.

So, whatever wildlife you see, you might consider beginning to submit wildlife records yourself. You can find out more about doing so on our main BNHS website.