Poppy Dean – Hoopoe – A blog by nhbs

Q&A with Trine Bregstein: The Riverfly Partnership

The Riverfly Partnership is a collaborative effort between anglers, conservationists, scientists, and water managers to protect the health and quality of our rivers. They use citizen science to monitor riverfly populations, which are sensitive indicators of water quality, and gather data on these fascinating insects to contribute to a better understanding of river ecosystems.

We recently had the opportunity to speak with Trine Bregstein, riverfly partnership development manager, about the work of the Partnership, their citizen science initiatives, the importance of riverflies and more.

Can you give an overview of the Riverfly Partnership, its aims and the work that the group is involved in?

The Riverfly Partnership is a network of organisations supporting projects to assess river health. The aims of the partnership are to protect the water quality of our rivers, further the understanding of riverfly populations, and conserve riverfly habitats. The partnership comprises many individuals and groups, including entomologists, angling clubs, volunteer groups, wildlife charities and Rivers Trusts.

We have data on freshwater invertebrate life dating back to the early 2000s, collected by a dedicated base of citizen scientists that is continuing to grow. Volunteers get to learn about the fascinating world of tiny critters living in their waterways, which are referred to as the canaries of our rivers because they are an important indicator of water quality. The work of Riverfly monitors means pollution incidents are quickly detected and reported, changes in water quality are monitored over time and the impacts of restoration work in and around the river can be tracked.

Can you tell us about the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative?

The Riverfly Monitoring Initiative (RMI) is a citizen science scheme in which trained monitors collect data about the invertebrates living in their local river. Volunteers are trained in the identification of key groups of riverflies, which are invertebrates that spend most of their life cycle living in fresh water. The initiative mainly focuses on the orders Ephemeroptera (also known as up-wing flies or mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies) and Trichoptera (caddisflies).

Invertebrate sorting and identification. Credit: Trine Bregstein

On a monthly basis, monitors carry out kick sampling at their site and count the numbers of each group of riverflies they have collected. From these counts, an RMI score is generated. This score is compared to the ‘trigger level’ of the site, which is a number set by the local ecology contact at the statutory body. If the RMI score is below the trigger level, it may be an indication that a pollution event has taken place. Another sample is done to confirm the breach, and then the relevant authorities are informed.

What are the main challenges associated with your work?

The national scale of the project, with various regional hubs coordinating groups of monitors at a local level, means it’s important to make sure things are done consistently across the network. We at the Riverfly Partnership HQ in the Lake District facilitate and try to keep track of what’s going on in all of these separate groups, and make sure training and protocols are standardised around the country to ensure the robustness of the data set. This can prove challenging, particularly as many of our hubs are charities and trusts that may not have consistent funding for citizen science projects, whilst others are volunteer run and rely on people managing to co-ordinate their groups in their spare time.

A group of volunteers standing around the riverside edge during a training day — Ribble training day. Image credit: Trine Bregstein

How did 2024 fare for the Partnership and its work?

2024 was a great year for the Partnership. Our monitors submitted 7,832 surveys to our database over the year – this is up from 6,392 in 2023, which reflects how much the partnership is continuing to grow, with many new monitoring groups set up all over the UK. We also launched a new Riverfly data dashboard for easy viewing of all this data.

Citizen science is of increasing importance in wildlife conservation across the globe. How can we get involved and be proactive in protecting our rivers and riverfly populations?

Riverfly monitoring involves carrying out a survey at your allocated site once per month, usually taking about an hour. As a monitor, you’d be contributing to a trusted, long-term, open-access data set that can be used to track gradual changes in habitat quality, as well as quickly pick up on any major incidents that the statutory body can investigate. Anyone can become a Riverfly monitor – no prior knowledge is required; you just need to have attended a training day led by one of our accredited tutors.

Kick sampling in a river — Gwent Wildlife Trust sampling. Image by Gareth Edge

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, e-mail info@riverflies.org and we will link you up to your local co-ordinator. Most training tends to take place in the spring and summer months, but you can register your interest at any time.

Aside from Riverfly monitoring, you can also get involved in the Rivers Trust’s Big River Watch, Earthwatch has the Great UK Water Blitz, The Angling Trust has the WQMN (Water Quality Monitoring Network), ZSL run the Outfall Safari project, and through the CABA and CaSTCo projects other organisations around the UK have been able to cascade this initiative to their volunteers. Check your local Rivers Trust or Wildlife Trust to see what volunteering opportunities they have, for example balsam bashes, riverside clean ups or restoration works like reed bed planting, tree planting and fence building.

Gwent Wildlife Trust members holding certificates following training — Gwent Wildlife Trust training. Image credit: Gareth Edge

There is so much to get involved with, and on a personal level, try look after your own patch. If you’re out walking the dog for example, try to keep them out of the water if they’ve had a recent flea treatment, take a couple of bits of rubbish to the nearest bin (safely, don’t pick up anything potentially dangerous) and know who to call if you spot something untoward – the EA/SEPA/NRW/NIEA for pollution, your local council for fly tipping and don’t forget to report sewage and water leakage problems to your local water company too, they all have helplines or online reporting options.

What projects will the Riverfly Partnership be working on next?

We have a scheme called ‘Extended Riverfly’, which is a more advanced version of Riverfly monitoring that experienced monitors can move on to. It involves identifying and counting 33 groups of invertebrates, rather than the eight in the Riverfly Monitoring Initiative. It’s a fairly new scheme, currently only operating in certain parts of the country, but we recently held an event at which many Riverfly trainers upskilled to become extended trainers, so we’re looking forward to rolling out this project to many more groups in the coming year.

Extended training at the natural history museum — Extended training at the Natural History Museum. Image Credit: Trine Bregstein

We’re also working on our ‘Targets and Triggers’ project, which has been developed with partners at the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Buglife and CaSTCo. We’re aiming to devise a standard, and relatively easy, method for trigger levels to be set, making it easier for statutory bodies to engage with Riverfly monitoring without it being too much of a drain on their limited resources. Through gathering extra data about each monitoring site and running these through a predictive model, we plan to come up with not just trigger levels, but expand the initiative so that sites also have a ‘target level’ – the maximum RMI score that we would expect to see at a site, which gives a goal for habitat improvement projects to aim for.

The Riverfly Partnership Approved Kit is a complete kit suitable for water quality monitoring. The Riverfly Partnership receives £5 from the sale of this kit to help them continue their fantastic conservation work.

Please see the Riverfly Partnership website for more information on how to get involved.

UK Moth Recorders’ Meeting 2025

Butterfly Conservation’s Moth Recorders Meeting provides an essential update for ecologists, wildlife watchers, and naturalists interested in the latest developments in moth recording, research, and conservation. Introduced by director of business and research, Russel Hobson, this year’s meeting was held online via Zoom on Saturday 25th January, and comprised of a variety of talks by keynote speakers including Dr Zoë Randle, David Hill and Dr Avalon Owens.

Dr Zoë Randle, Butterfly Conservation: National Moth Recording Scheme Update

The first speaker, Butterfly Conservation’s Dr Zoë Randle, shared an update on the National Moth Recording Scheme and key trends. Over 600,000 observations were submitted on iRecord throughout2024, bringing the total macro moth records to 36.2 million and micro moth records to 7.4 million in the National Moth Recording Scheme. Despite an increase in moth recording last year, Zoë emphasised the importance of both recorders and verifiers, while also stressing the need for more volunteers to streamline the verification process.

A map showing the density of records across the UK — Number of Records in the National Moth Recording Scheme per km square. Credit: Dr Zoë Randle

Dr Norman Lowe, County Moth Recorder, Breconshire: Charismatic Clearwings in mid-Wales.

Dr Norman Lowe, County Moth Recorder for Breconshire, discussed clearwings in mid-Wales, presenting the group as flagships for dayflying moths and provided an update on clearwing records during 2024. Last year, 31 more recorders and ten more pheromone traps/lures were supplied to aid in recording, resulting in a total of 80 clearwing observations for 2024. Data revealed some local and scarce species, including the Welsh Clearwing and Red-tipped Clearwings, and highlighted species which are common and widespread, like Lunar Hornet Moths.

David Hill, Conservation Manager (Scotland), Butterfly Conservation: Black, White, Red & Gold – surveying Argyll’s rare moths

Next to speak was David Hill, who reported on two key species that he has been working with in Scotland: White Spotted Sable Moths and Transparent Burnet. He discussed the background and biology of the species, as well as the efforts undertaken to better understand their pressures and distribution.

2024 larval surveys uncovered 30 White Spotted Sable caterpillars over three days and allowed surveyors to categorise habitat. This coming year, the team will look to rear caterpillars to confirm identification, start adult surveys and seek out sites where Anania terrealis, a commonly mistaken species, is present.
Transparent Burnets are a focus for Scottish conservation projects as part of the Species on the Edge programme. This rarely recorded species is one of concern due to loss of suitable habitat and work will continue throughout 2025 to establish the distribution and abundance of this moth across Argyll.

Transparent burnet moth — Transparent Burnet. Credit: David Hill

Dr Luke Evans, Butterfly Conservation: Can we measure the impact of insect change on bird and bat populations?

Dr Luke Evans discussed the DRUID project, which has operated since 2021 and aims to investigate the drivers and repercussions of UK insect decline. Evans discussed the impact of this catastrophic decline on species whose diets are adapted to insects, true correlation vs random correlation (the observation data conundrum) and the suggestive patterns of decline in birds as a result of this. The use of key data, including that in the National Moth Recording Scheme, demonstrates the importance of national monitoring data for evaluating insect abundance and the direct impacts of insect change.

Dr Sam Fabian, Imperial College London: Understanding why artificial lights trap flying insects using high-speed videography

The next presentation was delivered by Dr Sam Fabian, who explored the aggregation of insects around bright light sources, how artificial light can impact insect flight and the behavioural mechanisms behind it. Fabian suggests that circling behaviour around bright light sources is due to dorsal light response – a stabilising reflex where insects angle their body to orientate bright lights above them – which causes erratic flight paths around artificial light sources.

Circling behaviours around artificial light sources. Credit: Dr Sam Fabian

Dr Avalon Owens, Rowland Institute, Harvard University: Do sustainable lighting practices sustain moths?

Last to speak was Dr Avalon Owens, who concluded the session with an insightful discussion on the impacts of light pollution on moths. This growing threat is one of many that impacts global insect abundance and diversity, and can have a range of negative impacts on insect behaviour, including: fatal attraction, temporal and spatial disorientation and visual confusion. These can have catastrophic effects on insects internal body clock, navigation ability and recognition of resources. With light pollution levels growing and expanding exponentially, Dr Owens also outlined key routes to tackle the issue by creating sustainable lighting that is useful, targeted, controlled, low level and warm coloured.

Five lighting principles for responsible outdoor lighting and impacts of artificial light on insects. Credit: Dr Avalon Owens

This year’s Moth Recorders Meeting was a fascinating insight into the National Moth Recording Scheme, key trends and developments in moth ecology and conservation, and the threats to these undervalued insects. Find out more about Butterfly Conservation, their valuable work and ways to get involved on their website.

To hear more from this year’s speakers, a recording of 2025’s meeting can be found on the Butterfly Conservation YouTube channel.

National Nest Box Week 2025

Friday 14th February marks the start of National Nest Box Week. With widespread population declines due to habitat loss and urbanisation, National Nest Box Week presents us with the perfect opportunity to provide habitat for local birds, boosting breeding success and contributing to the enhancement of biodiversity in our green spaces.

Mid-February marks the start of the breeding season for many British bird species, with many beginning to actively seek new territory and suitable nesting sites. Nest Box Week is a great time to install a new nest box or do some maintenance on any existing boxes. By providing artificial nesting sites, we can assist species such as Robins, House Sparrows, and Swifts, while simultaneously raising public awareness about the diverse range of birds that benefit from these resources.

House Sparrow at the entrance of a nest box — Image by Vine House Farm via Flickr

Here are some ways to get involved in National Nest Box Week:

Install a nest box in an outside space, garden or balcony
Plant native flora and provide access to fresh, clean water to keep your garden bird-friendly
Support bird conservation organisations by donating, volunteering or sharing their work
Encourage friends and family to get involved in supporting their local wildlife

Garden Bird Species

Robins are a familiar sight in UK gardens and are easily recognised by their bright red breast and cheerful song. They prefer open-fronted nest boxes, often tucked away in hedges or shrubs, to mimic their natural nesting preferences in sheltered crevices and vegetation.

Blue tits are small, vibrant birds common across the UK that are often seen flitting through gardens and woodlands. They prefer small, enclosed nest boxes, hung high to mimic their natural nesting sites in tree cavities.

With their distinctive yellow beak and melodious song, Blackbirds are a common sight in various habitats across the UK. They prefer open-fronted nest boxes, at a slightly higher location, tucked away amongst dense vegetation or climbing plants for added security.

House Sparrow perched on balcony railing

Common in UK gardens and urban areas, Sparrows prefer nest boxes with a small entrance hole, placed high up on walls or under the eaves of houses, mimicking their natural nesting sites in crevices and holes in buildings.

Why is National Nest Box Week important?

Increasing urbanisation, human development and changing land-use have had devastating impacts on bird populations in the UK. A loss of natural nesting habitats has introduced extra challenges for rearing young, and nest boxes provide nesting birds with vital habitat to rear chicks – helping to mitigate the impacts of habitat loss which is essential for supporting local bird populations.

Find a selection of nest box blogs on the Conservation Hub, including:

NHBS Guide: Where to hang and how to maintain your nest box

Training Course: Bats for Building Professionals

The recent training course by the Bat Conservation Trust, Bats for Building Professionals, aimed to provide direction and understanding on the legal protections surrounding bats and their roosts in buildings. Suitable for contractors, pest controllers, surveyors, architects or those working within the construction industry, the session aided building professionals in developing their bat roost identification skills and taught them how to navigate situations where bats are present on site.

The seven-hour course, run over two interactive online sessions, explored bat ecology, biology, best practices, the latest guidance and legal information.

The course began with a comprehensive overview of Britain’s breeding bat species, covering their biology, ecology, adaptations, habitat preferences and roosting types. Speaker Katie Swift introduced the Bat Calendar – a particularly interesting aspect of the session which revealed how contractors and construction workers can plan work around bat activity to minimise disturbances (see below).

Bat calendar indicating best times for construction works — The bat calendar shows how contractors and construction workers can plan work around bat activity to minimise disturbances.

This led to a discussion of bat roosts in built structures, where Katie explained why bats favour these spaces and detailed attractive features for both cavity and crevice roosting species, such as soffits, eaves, and cladding. Exploring the different uses of these roosts throughout the year, Katie highlighted how occupied spaces change between summer and winter, and which bat species commonly utilise buildings for this purpose. Using examples like pipistrelles and horseshoe bats, she demonstrated how different species utilize roosting sites and how to recognize an active roost.

The second part of the discussion focused on legislation and bat protection, educating attendees on the laws that are in place to ensure bat protection, actions that are considered an offence, and highlighting advice services available. Katie then reviewed the European Protected Species License, explaining its role in safeguarding bats within the UK, outlining how construction activities can potentially harm bats in buildings, and when to seek advice as a building professional in keeping with best practice guidelines.

Common pipistrelle bat — Image by Bio Blitz via Flickr

The second session concluded with an interactive quiz of working examples for building professionals, covering a range of typical building works including barn conversions, door repairs and gutter replacements.

The ‘homework’ task between sessions was a particularly enjoyable aspect of the course – through independent field work, attendees had the opportunity to report on the potential bat features of their chosen building or structure and apply the knowledge learned throughout the session to understand which species may be present in the area, the areas bats may utilise on the structure and what works might impact a roost.

This insightful and informative training course provides a valuable resource for building professionals seeking to learn or refresh their knowledge about bats and building projects. The speaker’s expertise ensured a comprehensive and engaging learning experience, covering everything from bat ecology, to bats in buildings and licensing.

Find out more about upcoming events and the extensive range of training courses with the Bat Conservation Trust via their website.

Top 5: Binoculars

A good pair of binoculars is a staple in any naturalist’s kit. Whether you are wildlife watching, insect spotting or exploring the wilderness, we have a fantastic range of optics to enhance your outdoor activities.

Discover our top 5 best binoculars for wildlife watching below, where we highlight the key features of each for easy comparison.

Bushnell Prime Binoculars 8×32 BP832B

A great entry-level option with high quality optical performance, these binoculars are waterproof, lightweight and robust which makes them great for fieldwork. A wide field of view makes these ideal for fast moving animals and large landscapes, and the anti-reflective coasting ensures a bright image with high contrast.

EXO barrier coatings to repel oil, dust and water
BAK-4 Prisms for excellent image quality and low light performance
20-year guarantee
Weight: 479g
Magnification: 8x
Field of view: 130m @ 1000m
Eye relief: 18mm
Close focus: 9ft / 3m

GPO PASSION ED 8×32/42mm Binoculars

Combine value and performance with these lightweight binoculars from GPO. A magnesium body provides a robust chassis, the Schmidt-Pechan prisms further enhance their durability, while superb clarity and exceptional colour transmission ensure an excellent price to performance ratio.

Suitable for all levels of expertise
Multi-coated lenses for exceptional clarity and colour transmission
Wide field of view
10-year guarantee
Weight: 520g
Magnification: 8x
Eye relief: 16mm
Field of view: 139m @ 1000m
Close focus: 2m

Hawke Optics Nature-Trek Binoculars 8×42

Completely waterproof and fog free, these robust binoculars are ideal for fieldwork. The multi-coated optics and an inner-focus optical design ensure high resolution images, and a close focus distance of 2m make them great for observing insects.

Shock resistant polycarbonate body
BAK-4 roof prism
Lifetime guarantee
Winner – Best Low Cost Binocular Award 2014
Weight: 638g
Magnification: 8x
Eye relief: 18mm
Field of view: 129m @ 1000m
Close focus: 2m / 6.6ft

Opticron Explorer WA ED-R Binoculars 10×42

An impressive field of view makes these compact binoculars great for surveying large landscapes and fast-moving animals, and a close focus of 2m makes them suitable for viewing insects too. Multi–coated lenses allow extra light transmission and colour contrast, ensuring clear, crisp viewing.

Nitrogen waterproof construction
Close focus: 2.5m / 8.2ft
Weight: 660g
Magnification: 10x
Eye relief: 15mm
Field of view: 113m @ 1000m
10-year guarantee

Swarovski CL Pocket Binoculars with Wild Nature Case 10×25

Ideal for travelling, these pocket binoculars are compact and lightweight, while providing users with a large field of view and great close focus suitable for insect observation. A high-quality lens and prism coating ensure excellent optical performance, even at low light, and SWAROBRIGHT phase prism coating ensures better colour reproduction and light transmission.

10-year warranty
Waterproof to 4m
Magnification: 10x
Eye relief: 17mm
Field of view: 98m @ 1000m
Close focus: 2.5m
Weight: 350g

For more information on how to choose the right pair of binoculars, see our blog post on the Conservation Hub.

Top 5: Thermal Scopes

Thermal scopes detect and display temperature variations and can use the infrared energy (heat) emitted by warm-blooded animals to create a distinct thermal profile. They produce an image that displays different temperatures in different colours which can be used to visibly detect the location of animals that may not otherwise be seen due to lack of light.

Thermal scopes are typically used to survey nocturnal or elusive species. Particularly useful when used in bat surveys, they can be used to identify roost access points with greater accuracy and can provide improved-quality images of animals in flight. Thermal scopes are also used in surveys for other wildlife, including bird ringing programmes and nest box monitoring, particularly for Pine Martens. This non-invasive technology allows ecologists to monitor wildlife whilst minimising disturbance, allowing for more accurate data reporting on wildlife behaviour. They can be used during both the day and night and offer different colour palettes to improve visibility in different environmental conditions.

Thermal scopes are designed with varied capabilities and are suitable for a range of users, from naturalists to ecologists. Here we explore a range of thermal scopes available on our website, including both affordable and more advanced options, and highlight the benefits and features of each.

Pulsar Telos XP50 Thermal Imaging Monocular

Featuring an industry-leading thermal sensor, this high performance monocular provides high resolution imagery in all conditions and has a built-in laser range finder (LRF) capable of long-distance measurements. Durable and user–friendly, these waterproof optics are suitable for all weather conditions and are designed with a wear-resistant rubberised body to maximise longevity.

Sensor: 640 × 480, 17µm, <18mK NETD
Lens: 50mm/F1.0 Germanium lens
Magnification: 2.5-10.0× (and 4× digital zoom)
Frame rate: 50Hz
Detection range: 1,800m
Video/photo resolution: 1024 × 768
Rating: IPX7
Operating time: Up to 8.5hrs
Weight: 720g with battery

Pixfra Sirius S650 Thermal Imaging Monocular

A compact, powerful monocular offering an incredible optical performance. This monocular has an impressive magnification and detection range, making it ideal for wildlife observation and recording thermal images at a distance. And with 64GB built-in storage, still images or video can be recorded at the push of a button.

Sensor: 640 × 512, 12µm, <18mK NETD
Lens: 50mm/F0.9
Magnification: 3.45 ×
Frame rate: 50Hz
Detection range: Up to 2,600m
Rating: IP67
Operating time: Up to 6 hours
Weight: 537g

Pixfra Arc 600 Series Thermal Imaging Monoculars

A great all-round choice at a competitive price point, this thermal monocular is compact, lightweight and has the widest field of view in the Pixfra range making it ideal for emergence surveys. A highly robust chassis and an IP67 rating mean that this monocular is incredibly durable and is built to withstand poor weather conditions, drops and scrapes in the field.

Sensor: 640 × 512, 12µm, NETD <30mK
Lens: 13mm/F1.0
Magnification: 0.875×
Frame rate: 50Hz
Detection range: 670m
Rating: IP67
Operating time: Up to 6.5h
Weight: 304g (excluding battery)

Pulsar Merger LRF XP50 Thermal Imaging Binoculars

High-spec, professional-level thermal binoculars, this device features a built-in laser range finder and a highly sensitive thermal sensor operating across a long detection range. Lightweight and durable, these advanced thermal optics are highly resistant to harsh environmental conditions and can be submerged in up to one meter of water for up to 30 minutes.

Sensor: 640 × 480, 17 µm, NETD <25mK
Lens: Fast aperture F50/1.0 germanium lens
Magnification: 2.5×-20× (and digital 8× zoom)
Frame rate: 50Hz
Detection range: 1,800m
Video/photo resolution: 1024p × 768p
Rating: IPX7
Operating time: Approx 10hrs
Weight: 800g

Pulsar Axion 2 XQ35 Pro Thermal Imaging Monocular

A lightweight and highly portable mid-range monocular, this thermal scope features an industry-leading sensor and a high-quality aperture objective lens to ensure clear, distinguished viewing. Innovative in design, this monocular allows for still image and video recording to internal memory, and is Wi-Fi enabled to allow for easy downloads to a mobile device.

Sensor: 384 × 288, 17 µm, NETD <25mK
Lens: Fast aperture Germanium 35mm/F1.0 objective lens
Magnification: 2-8×,
Detection range:1,300m @ 1.8m
Video/photo resolution: 528 x 400p
Rating: IPX7
Operating time: Up to 11 hours
Weight: 380g

Recommended Reading:

Thermal Imaging for Wildlife Applications

Paperback & Hardback | Oct 2023

A practical guide that collects findings from academic research and applied field protocols to inform readers on the fundamentals of the technology, its methods, equipment and applications.

The NHBS Harp Trap: New Model Assembly Instructions

This blog provides a step-by-step guide on to how to set up and disassemble the latest model of the NHBS manufactured Harp Trap.

Please note that the NHBS Harp Trap is a made-to-order item, contact us at customer.services@nhbs.com for enquiries and we will be happy to advise on the current lead time.

Handling your trap

The trap carry bag has been designed to allow handling/carrying by either one or two people.

What’s in the bag?

1 × Harp Trap, 4 × legs, 2 × support poles (in two parts), 1 × accessories pack (including instructions, 4 × pegs, 4 × guy ropes and spare line)

Please follow these instructions for correct assembly and disassembly. We recommend that this is carried out by two people.

Setting Up

1 . Carefully remove the harp trap from its carry bag and place the frame upright on the floor.

2 . Take the legs out of the carry bag and insert them into the holes on the underside of the frame – it is easiest to do this one end at a time. When required, all legs can be individually adjusted to raise the trap or to level out when setting up on uneven ground.

3 . Undo the straps and allow the collecting bag to settle by opening the arms of the frame out fully. If using guy ropes, attach them to the upper carriage now.

4 . Release the spring locking pins at both ends of the trap by pulling the lever out and rotating 90° to lock in the open position. Grab the longer piece of the support poles and hold upright with the connector facing down. Now, loosen the star handled screw and carefully lift the top carriage, raising it away from the main frame. Insert the support pole through the hole, where you removed the upper carriage from, and allow the poles to sit on the floor. Then insert the top carriage locating pins into the open end of the support poles.

5 . If using guy ropes, untie and allow to hang.

6. Working at the same pace, slowly raise the support pole so that the bottom of the pole is just below the lower part of the main frame, watching closely to ensure no strings get tangled. Once you reach this height, tighten the star handled screw to secure the support pole in position.

7 . Take the shorter parts of the support poles and attach them to the bottom of the longer parts by screwing together.

8 . With the support poles now at their full length, while holding on to them, loosen the star handled screw and continue to raise them, still working together and checking for any string snagging. Raise until the bottom of the pole is level (or as near as possible) with the bottom of the frame and tighten star handled screws.

9 . Engage both spring locking pins to secure the lower carriage.

10 . If you are using them for stability, you can now peg out the guy ropes and your trap is ready for use.

Disassembly

1 . If used, pull out the pegs and store them carefully.

2 . Release the spring locking pins from both ends of the trap. Hold the support poles (one person at each end) and loosen the star handled screws to lower the poles.

3 . Continue to slowly lower the poles and as you do so, carefully start winding the bottom line carrier, taking great care to ensure no lines get tangled. Guiding the lines with your hand/arm is key. Keep lowering the support poles slowly and evenly while winding the line carrier until the support poles rest on the floor.

4 . With the support poles resting on the ground, tighten the star handled screw to hold the pole in position, unscrew the lower/short part of the support pole and safely place to one side.

5 . Hold onto the support pole, loosen the thumb screw, and continue to lower until the pole sits on the ground. If used, gather up the guy ropes, tie them up, detach from the frame and place safely to one side.

6 . Now lift the top carriage off from the top of the support pole, slide the pole out from the frame and place to one side. Continue to lower the top carriage, whilst winding the bottom carriage, until the top carriage sits on the main frame.

7 . Once the top carriage has been lowered fully, engage the spring locking pins and tighten the star handled screw to secure it in place, fold the arms of the catch bag assembly inwards until they meet, wrap the bag around the trap and tie the straps to secure.

8 . Remove the legs from the frame, working on one end of the frame at a time is easiest. If you have extended the legs, to aid storage, reduce them to their shortest length.

9 . Place the guy ropes and pegs back in the accessories bag. Put the legs and the support poles in the bottom of the carry bag and finally, carefully place the trap and accessories bag back into the carry bag, safe and sound, ready for next time.

Author interview with Susan Young: Night Vision and Daylight Camera Systems for Wildlife

This comprehensive guide describes how wildlife can be monitored and recorded in a non-intrusive way using well-developed and reliable technology. Detailing key techniques for capturing high-quality footage of a range of species, from nocturnal mammals to elusive birds, this practical resource is ideal for both professional ecologists and amateur naturalists alike who are seeking to enhance their understanding of the natural world.

Susan Young is a photographer and writer based in South Devon, who has a wealth of experience in wildlife photography. She has authored several books, including CCTV for Wildlife Monitoring and Wildlife Photography Fieldcraft, and is currently carrying out research with Natural England, the Woodland Trust and Mammal Society on the use of remote cameras for wildlife monitoring.

We recently spoke to Susan about her latest book, where she explained how she first started working with visual systems, how ecological and wildlife-watching camera systems differentiate, and more.

Firstly, could you share a little bit about yourself and your background working with visual systems?

My background is in physics and engineering, but I have had a keen interest in wildlife from a very early age. Since moving to Devon some years ago, I developed my interest in photography and wrote several books on various technical topics. I used trail cameras before they became ‘famous’ and finding some aspects frustrating, moved to bird box cameras – I then became interested in using security cameras with separate recorders as they had more useful features.

In 2015/2016 I started as a volunteer with Natural England and the Woodland Trust where I was encouraged to develop my ideas for portable CCTV systems, which led to the discovery of three calls of Barbastelle Bats not previously recognised. Further work with dormice, otters, deer, small mammals and birds showed just how well the systems performed, being much richer in features than trail cameras and much less expensive than thermal systems.

Your previous book, CCTV for Wildlife Monitoring was published in 2016. What inspired you to revisit the topic for a second book, and what advancements or changes does your latest title encompass?

My book in 2016 was more of an introduction to CCTV technology, which was just taking off and becoming more readily available. Since then, the technology has advanced dramatically, with HD cameras giving very high-quality images, and recorders becoming available with solid state drives making them very portable.

There are many other features not found in other visual systems – in particular, security recorders have inbuilt video analysis which can be controlled by the user, greatly reducing the amount of video data to analyse. My book has detailed step-by-step instructions for all aspects of the night vision camera systems with the aim of flattening the learning curve.

Night Vision systems are commonly associated with ecological research and wildlife watching, how do the camera systems you describe differentiate from them?

The systems I describe have a raft of features, as described above, making analysis much easier. They can also be left outside unattended and are particularly useful for remote areas. They are also relatively low cost and portable.

Why did you feel that it was important to include a section on public engagement and education in this book?

Public engagement is important for raising awareness of the plight of our wildlife, as well as for attracting funding. High-quality videos from security camera systems, particularly of protected or rarely seen species, have proven successful. My book gives step-by-step instructions to encourage the use of this technology without the need for costly specialists.

Regarding schools, introducing children to technology at an early age makes use of the systems less daunting in later life.

Have you come across any emerging or under-utilised applications for this technology that you believe hold potential?

Many of the applications I have developed using my camera systems are new and I believe hold great potential. Because the systems can be set up and left for long periods, it means little or no disturbance to wildlife – for example monitoring breeding birds of prey in remote habitats, observing dormice behaviour in dormouse boxes, or surveying bats in hazardous environments.

Have you encountered any particularly memorable or exciting wildlife captures? Can you share any highlights from your experience?

On the conservation front, discovering new Barbastelle calls was very exciting, as was viewing previously unseen dormouse behaviour. On the naturalist level, filming four young Fallow Deer running round and round my rural garden in play was very heart-warming.

Finally, what’s next for you?

I am planning some research using my systems for small mammals which are often under-recorded. I am also producing educational material for the Mammal Society.

Night Vision and Daylight Camera Systems for Wildlife is available here.

Interview with WILDGuides Publisher Rob Still

The award-winning WILDGuides collection is a series of comprehensive and practical natural history titles. Ranging from photographic field guides covering the wildlife of Britain, Ireland and Europe, to visitor guides and reference works on wildlife across the world, this authoritative, easy-to-use series contains some of the best identification guides to date.

Robert Still is the co-founder and publishing director of WILDGuides, and has contributed to more than sixty titles in the series. In his spare time, he is a prolific natural history author, ecologist and graphic artist. We recently had the opportunity to speak to Rob about the WILDGuides collection, including how each volume is produced, which titles are due to be published over the next few years and more.

Firstly, can you tell us about the history of WILDGuides and how the collection came to be?

I (Rob) had been working as a designer, using photoshop and producing somewhat rudimentary montages and cutouts for adverts since 1991. When the programme’s features really took off in the late 90s, my thought was whether these new capabilities could be used to produce ‘best birding’ moments, such as idealised scenes of multiple tanagers in the same tree, or a Sueda bush chock full of vagrant Phylloscopus.

From there, it was a short transition to figuring out if the technology could be used for field guides – hence the birth of WILDGuides, which started with a guide to Galápagos wildlife by Andy Swash published in 2000, followed relatively quickly by Whales and Dolphins of the European Atlantic (2001) and Britain’s Butterflies (2002) – this covered a relatively small number of species and all were easy to cut out. Britain’s Dragonflies (2004) followed and was the first book written by Andy prior to the expansion into the other taxa groups as seen today, alongside multiple evolutions/editions of the first titles.

For anyone unfamiliar with the collection, how would you describe them, and who are they intended for?

The books are intended for anyone who wants to put a name to something they encounter in the field. I would describe them as a guided, primarily photographic pathway that hopefully helps in that process.

Each work in the collection is a passion project of dedicated scientists, conservationists, and researchers. How long does it take to produce a title from start to finish and what kind of work goes into creating them?

It varies a great deal. Some have taken a good 10 years from concept to fruition, others have taken just a couple of years. However, a title typically requires a couple of photography seasons, as a significant number of the images in each book are commissioned and the specific image requirements often don’t come to light until the design process is underway.

How do you decide what makes a good subject for WILDGuides? What are you looking for when creating new volumes?

A good subject is really any group or taxa within a defined region – WILDGuides is looking to work with any experienced specialists to present that group in the WILDGuides way.

One of the strengths of the WILDGuide collection is the use of a unique ‘roadmap’ for each published topic, allowing users to navigate identification, and the book itself. Can you elaborate on the process of these roadmaps, and why you feel they are so important for these guides?

Sure, it is a relatively straightforward process insofar as it is simply the production of an identification pathway from start to finish. This is slightly disingenuous, as on occasion, it can be harder than one might think to unequivocally achieve this. It requires a team that really knows the subject being prepared, who is able to combine their field experience to focus on what really matters in the identification.

Their importance to the guide, I believe, is that they are an amalgamation of this ‘hands-on’ experience and so the pathway is both realistic and pragmatic.

Can you speak on the process of updating editions in the collection?

Obviously, nature is dynamic and lists of taxa within a region change. New, reliable field identification features come to light, improvements are suggested by our users and the exponential rise in available images means that there is now a good chance that better pictures (in terms of quality and showing the key identification points) become available. Consequently, we keep an update file covering all of these areas, and will update these editions when the time is right to do so.

What can we expect from the collection over the next couple of years? Are you able to share any new titles that are on the way?

Yes, the existing collection should improve over the coming years with the feedback and new images mentioned. WILDGuides is also looking to expand the series into other taxa not already covered to match the increasing diversity of species groups that people are looking at, with the hope that more accurate records are sent to organisations managing citizen science databases.

On the near horizon are updates to Britain’s Spiders and, at some stage, Britain’s Birds as well as new titles covering Britain’s Trees, Birds of East Africa and Birds of Madagascar, each in the style of Europe’s Birds. Further down the track we are looking at gaps, particularly in Britain’s series, that are relatively obvious to spot – so if any reader of this piece wants to be a potential part of that expansion, we’d love to hear from you!

Explore the full WILDGuide collection here

This Week in Biodiversity News – 3rd February

Pollution

Flea and tick treatments are contaminating songbird nests. A recent study surveyed 103 tit nests that utilised pet fur in construction, and found that 100% were contaminated with fipronil, a chemical component of pet flea and tick treatments that is banned for agricultural use in the UK and the EU. Contaminated nests were found to have an increased number of unhatched eggs and dead chicks, placing significant pressure on breeding bird populations. The findings have led to calls for a thorough environmental risk assessment of veterinary treatments, and to consider restricting their use as a preventative measure to an active treatment.

Great tit with nesting material — Image by hedera.baltica via Flickr

The Arctic carbon sink is now a source of emissions, a new study concludes. Rising temperatures in the Arctic landscape are facilitating the release of vast amounts of carbon dioxide, which is currently stored in the region’s permafrost, and over 40% of this is now significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions in the context of global warming. The effects of rising temperatures are also reflected by visual changes in the landscape – ground collapse, increased plant growth, microbial domination – and changes in the carbon cycle in the region.

Environment

Wales’ plan to reverse wildlife decline lacks plan, action and investment according to Senedd’s cross-party environment committee. A recent report identified several shortcomings that have impacted the Welsh government’s ability to tackle nature loss and boost biodiversity. These include legislation that failed to deliver, outdated key policy documents, a broken promise to update the Nature Recovery Action Plan, and a history of delays, undelivered commitments, and missed deadlines. With 1 in 6 species at risk of local extinction in Wales, and a 20% decrease in wildlife over the last three decades, the committee urged the Welsh government to prioritise setting targets to address biodiversity loss by 2030, bringing Wales in-line with previously agreed biodiversity commitments.

eurasian curlew — One in six Welsh species are threatened with local extinction. Image by Antje Schultner via Flickr

T he Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has published a report on the prospect of the UK meeting its environmental targets and commitments. The third OEP assessment analysed the government’s current progress towards improving the country’s natural environment between April 2023 and March 2024, and determined that the UK remains off track in meeting legal commitments due to slow progress and a loss of momentum. Key issues identified were as follows: policy or regulatory frameworks are not adequately developed or delivered; actions do not address all major pressures; inadequate resource provision and a lack of urgency. To tackle this, the report concluded that the UK government should speed up, scale up, stack up and catch-up actions to make adequate progress.

Wildlife and Conservation

A Greater Mouse-eared Bat (Mytosis mytosis) has been discovered in Sussex. In mid-January 2025, a breeding female Greater Mouse-eared Bat was found hibernating in the South Downs National Park, marking the first identification of a new female since the 1980s. This species was declared extinct in the UK in 1992 following decades of species decline, however two male sightings, one in 2002 and one in 2023 suggested the potential for their return in the future. Conservationists have ringed the newly discovered female to allow for future identification, monitoring and research, with the hope of discovering an established breeding population in Britain.

Galicia’s shellfish stocks are declining at an alarming rate. Europe’s primary source of mussels, and the world’s second largest producer of shellfish, has seen a dramatic fall in cockles, clams and mussels. In 2023, cockles crop fell by as much as 80% and last year, mussel production was at its lowest for the last 25 years with some stocks falling by 90%. It is thought that the climate crisis and pollution from agriculture and local industry are at the root cause of this catastrophic decline, with increased rainfall reducing the salinity of the water and invasive species attracted to rising water temperatures.

Brown Trout survival is at serious risk as English rivers warm with climate change. A Government report suggests that these native fish are at risk of extinction in large parts of England within decades. The first national temperature projections by the Environment Agency forecast an unliveable environment at the height of summer by 2030. Brown Trout have a temperature threshold of around 12°C, above which there is a significant risk of egg mortality, small hatching sizes and development defects. For adult fish, this increased temperature could also amplify the impact of pollutants and an individual’s susceptibility to pathogens.