The BirdMic is a compact, directional parabolic microphone. Intended for bird calls, BirdMic allows users to listen, record and identify species on their smartphone in real time with the help of a bird identification app, such as Merlin Bird ID. It is self-powered, easy to use, and requires no previous experience to get started.
BirdMic Kit Includes:
Parabolic dish (25cm diameter)
Omnidirectional microphone
Audio interface (to connect your smartphone, camera or field recorder)
Headphones
Hand grip
Windshield
Flash shoe adapter
Various cables and adapters for smart phone connection
Extension tube to attach field recorder
Carrying bag
Ideal for the capture of bird song, BirdMic features a high sensitivity (-24dB), low noise (S/N 80dB) omnidirectional microphone to provide crisp recordings with excellent clarity. It is most suited to sounds above 1,500Hz, making it ideal for bird song.
The parabolic dish is made from durable ABS material and amplifies sound through collecting and focussing sound waves – waves bounce from the inner face of the dish and are directed onto the microphone at the centre, isolated and amplified and transmitted to a digital recording device.
Attaching directly to the parabolic dish, the audio interface allows the connection of a smartphone which can also be mounted via the included brackets. Once connected, simply open an automatic ID app, like Merlin, to record birds in real-time. Headphones can also be connected for live monitoring.
BirdMic in the field
Tomtook BirdMicalong the banks ofthe River Dart to test the performance of the microphoneand see how it compares tousing just a smartphone.
We simply set up the Birdmic, plugged in a smartphone and turned on the audio interface. With an overall diameter of 25cm and a weight of 1kg, the whole set up was extremelyeasy to transport.
Spectrogram of bird song captured with BirdMic using Merlin.
Our thoughts
We were really impressed with the BirdMic! It was very simple to assemble and use, and worked well to isolate and amplify bird sound in different conditions.
At just 1kg, it is very lightweight – the overall design makes this parabolic easy to walk around with, and its handy size and weight minimises arm strain when holding the microphone. The highly sensitive microphone worked well and was able to pick up bird song from a much greater distance than a smartphone. The directional microphone makes it ideal for homing in on a particular song, and allows the user to pinpoint the birds location. This also helps to eliminate any underlying noise in the background of the recording – for instance, water flow, wind or traffic noise.
We feel the Birdmic offers great value and is very easy to use. It is an entry-level parabolic that is ideal for a keen birdwatcher, or birding and naturalist groups looking to capture, listen to or record bird sound. As a lightweight, sturdy recorder, there is also significant potential for educational purposes, and it could be utilised in outdoor education clubs and classes to encourage an interest in nature by younger generations.
Find the BirdMic available exclusively on the NHBS website here. Our full range of sound recorders can be found here.
If you have any questions about our range or would like some advice on the right product for you then please contact us via email at customer.services@nhbs.com or phone on 01803 865913.
In December, the Bat Conservation Trust published Bats and Large-Scale Housing Maintenance Projects, a guidance document focusing on how to take bats into account when managing extensive housing repairs and maintenance. Designed for property owners, ecologists, architects and Natural England, the document is the product of the combined efforts of a working group who reviewed evidence in nine large-scale case studies. BCT helda webinar to outline the content of this guidance on 27th February 2025.A recording of the webinar will be available to purchase soon – email training@bats.org.uk to register your interest in the recording when it is published, or visit learn.bats.org.uk .
Jan Collins has over 26 years of experience working and volunteering with bats. She has been the Head of Biodiversity at the Bat Conservation Trust for eleven years, following eleven years in ecological consultancy as a bat specialist. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Jan about the origins, production and implications of the recently published guidance.
Why did BCT decide to produce this guidance?
Evidence gathered from practitioners during the production of BCT’s Bat Survey Guidelines and CIEEM’s Bat Mitigation Guidelines highlighted that standard guidance documents for bat roost surveys and mitigation are not well-suited to large-scale housing maintenance projects where A) there is relatively limited potential for roosting bats, and B) where the principal focus is retention and repair, rather than demolition.
Additionally, our Wildlife Crime Project has assisted the police with several cases involving local authority maintenance carried out without due diligence for bats. At BCT, we are keen to see pragmatic solutions to protecting and conserving bats during property maintenance – and this guidance fits that bill!
Who was involved in the production of the guidance?
This guidance represents the combined efforts of a working group of practitioners from conservation, ecological consultancy, statutory nature conservation bodies and local authorities – their names are provided in the guidance document and their contribution is very highly valued by BCT. Each member of the group brought experience from a real-life, large-scale housing maintenance project in England, Scotland or Wales.
Image Credit: Unitura
If the working group discussed projects in Scotland and Wales, why is the guidance limited to England?
The original intention was for the guidance to be applicable across Britain and Ireland, however Natural England was the only Statutory Nature Conservation Body (SNCB) able to contribute to the working group and review the final product. Therefore, this first edition is applicable specifically to England, and only English case studies are used for illustrative purposes. The principles and approaches set out are likely to be transferable, with licensing as the main difference – but we hope that contributions will be made by NatureScot and Natural Resources Wales in the future.
Can you outline the types of projects that these guidelines apply to in more detail for our readers?
The guidance outlines a set of factors which make projects more suitable to be treated as a ‘large-scale housing maintenance project’. These are as follows:
Multiple properties of the same type, or a limited range of types, likely to have been constructed at the same time
Small groups of houses in terraces or blocks
Limited gardens attached to properties (or larger gardens but not maintained as green space)
Limited suitable bat habitat surrounding the estate; other adverse factors such as lighting
Small or cluttered roof voids (area, height and/or volume), or in such a condition or context that they are unlikely to support conditions for breeding by void-dwelling species
Majority of properties assessed as negligible or low suitability
The works concerned will allow reinstatement of roosting opportunities and, often, augmentation of these
Properties are under single ownership e.g. owned by local authority, housing association or other public body
It’s also worth saying that some higher suitability properties may be present, but these would require standard survey approaches outlined in the latest edition of BCT’s Bat Survey Guidelines.
Image Credit: Unitura
What else is covered in the guidance?
The guidance lays out some of the constraints when working on these types of projects – surveys are often constrained due to the vulnerability of residents or surveyors, or the practicality of gaining access for internal inspections. For this reason, pragmatic or creative approaches to surveys may be needed and some guidance on survey types/effort is offered. The key aims are to establish the roosting potential of properties and rule out the presence of maternity roosts.
Comment is also provided on appropriate licensing for this approach; the case studies presented were all licensed using Natural England’s Licensing Policy 4. Importantly, mitigation and compensation are covered, with an emphasis on ensuring bats are not harmed during works, any evidence of bats is recorded (see below) and access is retained for future roosting. Monitoring of outcomes is key to the approach and can allow methods to be adapted as a project progresses.
What are the two most important considerations when applying the guidance?
Early collaborative working between stakeholders is absolutely essential to establish what the project involves and what is likely to be appropriate regarding bat surveys and mitigation. Stakeholders include local authorities or other property owners, ecologists, Natural England and architects. This should be followed by close working with occupiers, contractors and other suppliers as the project progresses.
Monitoring is also essential to establish if the approach taken is suitable and how it can be iteratively adapted based on site-specific findings.
Image Credit: Patrick Palmen
BCT are hosting a webinar discussing the guidance in February. Can you tell us more about it?
The webinar ran on?27th February 2025. Speakers included myself (Jan Collins of BCT), Phil Bowater of Natural England and Daniel Best of Cura Terrae: Land and Nature Division (formerly Ecus Ltd.). Phil and Daniel both worked on the Sheffield case study that is presented in the guidance and between us we were able to answer questions from the attendees.
Senior wildlife equipment specialist, Johnny, attended the guidance webinar. Here’s what he had to say about the session –
‘On behalf of NHBS, I attended the Bats and Large-scale Housing Maintenance Projects Guidance webinar last month. The session was insightful, well-structured and demonstrated the impressive extent of work and collaboration that has gone into the new guidance. To remain at the forefront of conservation, it is important that we attend a wide range of webinars to expand our knowledge and maintain our expertise, and this recent webinar allowed me to significantly improve my understanding of the challenges involved in ensuring positive outcomes for protected species in large-scale housing maintenance projects.’
A recording of the presentations will be available on BCT’s e-learning platform soon. Email training@bats.org.uk to register your interest or visit learn.bats.org.uk to find out more.
Any final words?
I would like to say thank you to the working group – it was a pleasure working with you all, and you brought so much valuable experience to the table. Thanks also to BCT for supporting the production of the guidance.
Finally, thank you to the sponsors of the guidance, including NHBS, Cura Terrae, I & G Ecology, Amey, Ecolybrium, DCS Ecology, Pell Frischmann, Southampton City Council and Gateshead Council.
UK scientists have discovered a biological mechanism making plant roots more attractive to soil microbes. Through enhanced endosymbiosis, crops such as wheat and legumes are now able to scavenge nutrients more effectively from the environment with the help of soil microbes. This natural process reduces the reliance on synthetic fertilizers, which, when used excessively, can contribute to soil degradation, water pollution, and harmful algal blooms. This biological adaptation may result in crops requiring less artificialfertilisers, thus reducing the pressures of excess fertilizer use and opening the door for more environmentally friendly farming.
Spraying the plants in the crocus fields by International Labour Organization ILO, via flickr.
Conservation funding bias is depriving criticalspecies of vital support, a new study has shown. A recent study investigated over 14,500 projects spanning a 25-year period, analysingalmost $2bn of funding allocated across the globe. Of this, 82.9% of funding was allocated to vertebrates (with over 85% to birds and mammals), 6.6% was allocated to plants and invertebrates, and only 0.2% was designated for fungal and algal species. With a large majority of funds assigned tocharismatic megafauna, this bias leaves nearly 94% of threatened species with no support, limiting the opportunities for researchers and protective measures. Researchers have called for a revision of conservation funding awards to ensure a more rigorous, scientifically driven approach in order to address this funding imbalance.
The reappearance of Wild Boar in Dartmoor National Park, after centuries of absence, has raised concerns about ‘guerrilla rewilding’. Despite their potential for ecological regeneration through natural foraging behaviours, the boar’s presence, following sightings and a dog walker incident, has triggered debate. Natural England and the Wildlife Trusts are now working to understand the local population dynamics and provide guidance to mitigate human-wildlife interactions, while the overall impact of their presence continues to be evaluated.
The UK government has authorized nature groups to apply for licenses to release beavers into the wild. This decision formalises existing practices, which include both licensed enclosure releases and unauthorized reintroductions. With an estimated 500 wild beavers in England already contributing to habitat creation and flood mitigation, the first of these licensed releases are anticipated this autumn, aligning with broader nature restoration goals in the UK.
Climate Crisis
The UK has released its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), outlining its commitment to meeting international biodiversity targets by 2030. This plan serves as the UK’s response to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, acknowledging the critical reliance of human wellbeing on thriving ecosystems and the urgent need to address the global biodiversity crisis. The NBSAP emphasizes a shift towards a systemic approach tackle these challenges effectively. This publication marks a crucial first step in the UK’s pledge to protect at least 30% of its land and sea, reduce pollution, and ensure sustainable practices in agriculture, forestry, and industry by the year 2030.
Offering new insights into how they grow, learn and live, Pine Marten delves deep into the secretive behaviour of one of our rarest and most elusive mammals. Packed with stunning candid images and a library of behaviours and vocalisations, this groundbreaking book provides insight into Pine Marten social interactions, courtship, mating, nesting and kit rearing, feeding and diet, as well as their relationships with other wildlife.
Having spent several years watching and filming Pine Martens in the forests of Austria, Bavaria and Ireland, Dan Bagur has developed an in-depth understanding of their habits and behaviour. He has written or contributed to over 26 books on nature, and his wildlife photography, artwork and articles are published all over the world.
We had the opportunity to speak to Dan about Pine Marten, including his inspiration for the book, his hopes for the future of Pine Martens in the UK and more.
Can you start by sharing how you first came to work with Pine Martens, and what was the journey that led to the publication of this book?
Before answering, I was pleased when my publisher told me that you wanted to interview me. I’m a lifelong admirer of the NHBS. I used to get your catalogues delivered as a teenager back in the early 90s when you were still a mail-order book catalogue – I’ve bought and enjoyed many books from you over the years.
Back to your question. Yes. As a nature lover, I’ve always wanted a house surrounded by wildlife. When I moved to Ireland, it finally became a reality. The first time I viewed the house, I found a Pine Marten scat in the garden! It’s a dream for someone like me to be surrounded by these endangered mammals and I’ve been watching their behaviour ever since. Being so elusive, they represent a significant challenge to the wildlife photographer/filmmaker, it occurred to me that Pine Martens would be one of the toughest land mammals to study in the wild – observing them is so rewarding precisely because it’s so difficult. You must earn every new insight.
Direct observation is the best way to learn; the animals themselves are the primary source after all. It starts with interest but quickly becomes, well, the word that comes to mind whenever I think about exactly how to define it is joy. Joy can be very addictive. It’s hard to let go of that feeling. Being plugged directly into the Pine Martens and their daily lives is exciting.
A long field study enables you to get a much clearer picture of what’s really happening: you get to confirm and reconfirm your initial assumptions, connect to individuals and see their interactions and behaviour over an extended timescale. I’ve been observing wild Pine Martens for over five years now – I’ve spent many thousands of hours following, watching and photographing them. I’ve encountered many individuals and seen them climbing, courting, growling, chattering, hunting, feeding, fleeing, fighting and rearing their young. Every month I learned something new and understood them a little better. It’s a great help too that Pine Martens fit nicely around a full-time job – most of the action takes place at dawn and dusk, or during the night. I got drawn into their world. I often wonder what they’re doing while I’m not with them.
As Pine Marten populations slowly begin recovering, interest in them is growing and I thought that my observations could be of interest to other naturalists. Conservation relies heavily on public sentiment and if people don’t know about Pine Martens, they will be less likely to help them. Introducing this animal to others was something I felt I could do. Hopefully, after reading this book, the reader might offer Pine Martens their much needed support. I put the focus of the book on Pine Marten behaviour. It’s aimed at amateur naturalists or anyone who is interested in learning more about these incredible animals, and contains lots of new information and photographs that will be interesting to those who already know Pine Martens well.
What was the most surprising or exciting thing you learned in the process of writing Pine Marten?
I think it’s exciting that you can still go out into the woods and make new discoveries about British mammals. Although I studied biology at university, and have always worked in conservation related roles, I don’t work with Pine Martens professionally. That’s part of the magic of direct observation – anyone can do it. There are still many new discoveries out there just waiting to be made, all that’s required is consistency and patience.
I think the most surprising things are how vocal Pine Martens can be and how exciting each sighting still is – even after many years watching them. When they show up it’s always an ‘oh wow!’ moment. I still freeze with awe when I see one.
The most fascinating thing is their intelligence. Watching them solve problems and consider their next move, getting to know many individuals and seeing how unique each animal is – their personality and behaviour are highly individual. Often, I could tell who had visited simply by the signs they had left behind. They’re exceptionally charismatic animals. As I explain in the book, they’re also deeply connected with our historic wilderness landscapes, icons from our lost ancient wildwood.
This book has an impressive selection of imagery displaying a range of behaviours, interactions and life stages. How long did these images take to compile and what are some of your most effective strategies for spotting these elusive creatures?
Thanks. Yes, capturing Pine Marten behaviour isn’t easy. For every photo there were many failed attempts, you have to be comfortable in failure with Pine Martens. Over time, patience brings results and consistency is the key. The situation is made especially testing as it’s often at night and it can be very cold. You have to be willing to spend many thousands of hours sitting quietly in the woods and waiting for the occasional glimpse! For this reason, you have to really want to do it. You need to be passionate about understanding them.
I’ve taken over 10,000 photographs of Pine Martens over the last five years. Each year I understood a bit more about when and where I might see some new behaviour. Because they’re so elusive, learning to track them is essential. It’s vital that you wait as close to the right place as possible. It’s a waiting game – many quiet hours watching the forest, followed by a few seconds of heart racing panic as they emerge from the undergrowth and then quickly disappear again. Over time, it’s possible to build up a behavioural picture from many of these fleeting encounters. The harder something is, the greater that feeling of accomplishment.
Can you tell us more about your new discoveries in Pine Marten behaviour and biology?
I didn’t set out to discover anything new. Initially, I didn’t plan to write a book. I just wanted to watch them and understand as much as possible – I was curious about how they lived their lives and what they got up to. As previously mentioned, I’ve spent over five years sitting quietly and observing wild Pine Marten behaviour. It took many months before I even knew where to wait for them. I love being alone in nature, so even the downtime in the forest has its own magic. My efforts were rewarded much later when I realised that some of my findings were new discoveries, including a new understanding of the function of the famous Pine Marten wiggle, retromingency in Pine Martens, the true cause of the scat curl and the use of the marten maze. I don’t want to give too much away, but they are all described (along with many other aspects of Pine Marten behaviour) in this new book.
Chapter 5 has an extensive library of field recordings. Why did you feel this was important to include and can you tell us about the process of gathering these?
It’s important to record what you’re seeing while watching wild animals, if you don’t then you can’t share your findings with others. Over the last few years, I’ve built up a large collection of film footage, photographs and sound recordings. Few people have ever seen a wild Pine Marten, let alone heard one. Their calls are an important part of what makes them what they are. Pine Martens (like many other Mustelids) make a surprisingly diverse range of calls – they grunt, growl, purr and scream. I felt it was important to include these. They are quickly and easily accessed by scanning QR codes using your phone. I wanted the reader to get as close as possible to Pine Martens via this book.
I realised that the recordings I had built up were unique – the Pine Marten sound library in this book is the most comprehensive yet published. My recordings have been included in the British Library sound collection and have been published in the ground-breaking book Sound Identification of Terrestrial Mammals of Britain & Ireland by Pearce, Middleton, and Newson.
What does the future look like for Pine Martens in the UK? And how can we work to secure a brighter future for this species?
In short, hopeful but worrying! Sadly, much of this is our own doing. Urban sprawl and habitat loss are an obvious problem, climate change, biodiversity decline and a persecution driven genetic bottleneck add to these issues – among others. Apathy is also a big concern. We still prefer the comfort of fool’s paradise over the often-harsh difficulties of reality. We need to get our heads out of the sand – and fast! Reality will inevitably have consequences we are no longer able to hide from – not just for Pine Martens. As Tew et al stated in a 2024 paper on the future of UK woodland biodiversity, a ‘major cultural shift’ is urgently required.
Although it’s important to face our problems and act, it’s also important to remain positive. There is real cause for hope – important work is being done to help Pine Martens. A few of those making a huge difference are Johnny Birks, Jenny MacPherson, Stuart Edmunds and John Martin, but there are many others. When great people come together fantastic things can be accomplished. The UK and Ireland have plans to increase their much-depleted forest cover over the coming years, and Pine Martens are slowly coming back. There are ways we can all contribute by donating or volunteering. Even small acts, like rewilding our own gardens, can collectively have an impact. Writing in 1992, the acclaimed science writer Edward O Wilson stated that ‘The next century will, I believe, be the era of restoration in ecology’. I hope that he’s right – wouldn’t that be a fantastic thing to witness after the global habitat and biodiversity decline of recent years.
Finally, what’s next for you? Will there be more books in your future?
Yes, I hope so! I had a column on rock pool life in the local newspaper while I was at university and I’ve been writing in one form or another ever since. I’m always working on the next project. Writing forces you to read everything and really understand your subject deeply, and that brings its own reward.
I would like to do something with Puffins in the future. I’m inspired to continue spending time out in nature and see what else is waiting to be discovered. Whatever comes next, I will always be grateful for this time with the Pine Martens – so many wonderful memories and experiences. The Pine Martens will remain with me for the rest of my life. Once you get to know a family of Pine Martens there’s no going back. They’re incredible animals and we’re extremely lucky to have them living alongside us.
Pine Marten is available from the NHBS website here.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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:
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 ofBritain’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).
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 Katieexplained 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 speciesutilize roosting sites and how to recognize an active roost.
The second part of the discussionfocused 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 highlightingadvice services available. Katie then reviewed the European Protected Species License, explainingits 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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A lightweight and highly portable mid-range monocular, this thermal scope features an industry-leading sensor and a high-quality apertureobjective 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
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.
Jan Collins has over 26 years of experience working and volunteering with bats. She has been the Head of Biodiversity at the Bat Conservation Trust for eleven years, following eleven years in ecological consultancy as a bat specialist. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Jan about the origins, 
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.
