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.
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 oneor twopeople.
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 carefullylift 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. Theninsert 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 andcontinue 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 placesafely 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 polesin 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.
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.
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.
Fox cubs in woodland.
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.
Reservoir camera setup.
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.
High res reservoir.
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.
The second-generation Song Meter Mini 2 and Micro 2 are the latest additions to the Wildlife Acoustics acoustic recorder range, with the Song Meter Mini 2 available in both AA and Li-Ion powered versions.
I was eager to test the new Li-Ion version of the Song Meter Mini 2, which I set up alongside the Song Meter Micro 2 in early December. The aim of this deployment was to compare the performance of the two models, and as a self-described ‘bird nerd’, I was also very excited to capture recordings of the incredible birdlife that resides on Dartmoor.
Deployment
The Song Meter Mini 2 Li-Ion model holds six rechargeable 18650 lithium-ion batteries with a minimum of one required for deployment. In this case, I used four batteries in both devices which provided ample runtime for this short field test, and I inserted a 32GB SDHC card – unfortunately, I did not have access to a battery charger so the Song Meter Mini 2 began the deployment at 57% battery life. I set up the recorders in a rural Dartmoor village hoping for clear recordings.
Song Meter Mini 2 Li-Ion (left) and Song Meter Micro 2 (right) set up with batteries and SD cards.
One of the main strengths of Wildlife Acoustic’s recorders is theirsimple deployment and configuration using the free Song Meter app. Here you can select your preferred recording schedule and check the status of your recorder at any time while in Bluetooth range –this provides information on SDHC card capacity, battery life, recording mode, and number of recordings taken. For this deployment, I used a pre-set recording schedule to record birds for two hours around sunrise and sunset.
Song Meter Mini 2 Li-Ion (left) and Micro 2 (right) status before deployment.
Both models now feature cable lock holes so that they can be safely secured during deployment – using a Python Lock, I fixed the device to a tree and left it torecord for two days.
Results
Over 2 days, I had collected 33 recordings on each device. Both devices had ample battery life remaining and had used just 1.75GB of storage.
Song Meter Mini 2 Li-Ion (left) and Micro 2 (right) status after deployment.
I analysed the recordings with a fantastic free desktop software called Chirpity. Using the BirdNET model, this software has an auto ID feature which simplifies analysis of sound recordings, particularly for large data sets. Using this software, I was able to identify a wide variety of garden bird calls including Robins, Blue Tits, Tawny Owls and many more. Examples of the dawn chorus from each device can be heard below.
Dawn chorus recording on Song Meter Mini 2 Li-Ion.
Dawn chorus recording on Song Meter Micro 2.
Spectrogram analysis of dawn chorus in Chirpity
Product Comparison
Both devices are impressive recorders in their own right – they produced clear and extensive recordings that captured a fantastic snapshot of the surrounding soundscape. On paper, the most obvious difference between these two recorders is the price, with the Micro 2 being much more affordable than the Mini 2-Li-Ion (@less than 1/3 of the price).
Furthermore, the Micro 2 is around half the size of the Mini 2-Li-Ion, its compact design is hard not to be impressed by, and it can fit easily into a pocket. Despite its small size, the Micro 2 features an incredible sample rate of 256kHz which allows you to capture good-quality high frequency recordings.
However, what you gain in compactness you lose in battery life. The Micro 2 has an estimated runtime of 280 hours compared to the Mini 2-Li-Ion which has a whopping 1,330-hour run time. The Micro 2 was deployed with a fully charged battery and finished with 76% battery life. Comparatively, the Mini 2-Li-Ion started and finished at 57%, an impressive feat.
Song Meter Mini 2 Li-Ion (left) and Micro 2 (right)
Another key difference between these recorders lies within environmental noise. These devices were deployed in the run-up to Storm Darragh, and some of the recordings experienced a good deal of wind distortion. Although this is an extreme case, it served to highlight the difference a windshield makes. The Micro 2 has no windshield over the microphone and as a result, experienced markedly more distortion when compared to the shielded Mini 2-Li-Ion. This can be seen in the spectrograms below, which were taken simultaneously. The Mini 2-Li-Ion also has the advantage of a low-noise microphone which, to my ear, produces slightly clearer recordings compared to the Micro 2.
Song Meter Mini 2 Li-Ion (left) and Micro 2 (right) wind distortionComparison table of Song Meter Mini 2 Li-Ion (left) and Micro 2 (right)
Summary
While both recorders allow you to experience the surrounding soundscape in new ways, they each offer distinct functionalities to achieve this goal.
The compact design of the Song Meter Micro 2, along with a recent price drop, makes this recorder a fantastic choice for enthusiasts who want to delve into bioacoustics. It has an excellent sample rate, good battery life and produces crisp recordings that are a joy to listen back to.
In comparison, the Song Meter Mini 2-Li-Ion is perfect for researchers. Its improved battery life makes it an excellent choice for both short and long-term deployments, and the low-noise microphone and windshield are ideal at producing clear recordings for subsequent analysis.
Water Vole populations are undergoing a national decline in the UK. A new report from the Wildlife Trusts, The National Water Vole Database Project Report, was released last month to document the findings of a nationwide investigation examining Water Vole distribution over the past ten years. Although the report documented a 39% decrease in the number of occupied areas across the UK, it also identified a further 11 new regional key areas of increasing local populations, including several in East Anglia and Yorkshire. The report reveals a bleak national picture with declines across the country due to habitat loss and deterioration, but shows that in the right conditions, and with the help of conservation practitioners, it is possible to reverse their historic decline.
Conservationists have observed active worker bumblebees nest-building in Scotland during the winter months. Unusually mild weather during the Christmas period has led to early awakening from hibernation, and at least two species have started to build new nests early in the winter season. However, the subsequent return of cold weather and the scarcity of winter food sources pose a significant threat to these early nests, risking their collapse. In this instance, fewer queens would be available to build nests in the spring and could contribute to the national decline of bumblebees.
Conservation
The National Trust has announced plans to create 250,000 hectares of biodiverse landscape. Equivalent to 1.5 times the size of Greater London, these nature-rich landscapes across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will address a current national need and are estimated to provide habitat for 1 billion earthworms. Labelled audacious yet achievable, this goal will be actioned on Trust properties, but also in partnership with other organisations, farmers and communities, to create larger tracts of landscape to tackle the climate and nature crises.
Last week, Lynx were reported in the Cairngorms National Park. A total of four animals were illegally released and subsequently captured by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RSS), where they were taken to be quarantined at Highland Wildlife Park (later one sadly died). The source of these animals remains unknown, but experts have raised concerns about the nature of their release – these animals were released in sub-zero temperatures within areas of logging activity, which has been deemed a highly irresponsible action that has drawn criticism from conservationists.
Climate Crisis
2024 marks the first calendar year to surpass the 1.5°C warming limit. Now thought to be the world’s hottest year on record, 2024 has brought the world closer to breaking the international warming target of 1.5°C – although this target is based on long-term temperature averages, last year’s trends signify an upturn in global temperature, with the last decade being the warmest on record. Predominantly due to harmful greenhouse gas emissions, which are still at record highs, this record is met with calls for cuts in emissions over this calendar year.
The UK generated its cleanest electricity ever in 2024, with 58% from low-carbon sources. The amount of electricity generated from fossil fuels has halved in the past decade, with the UK having seen an upturn in the use of renewable energy sources. In the past twelve months, renewables have generated 45% of the UK’s power, and when including nuclear sources, this number totals to 58%. Despite this, fossil fuels are still generating approximately 29% of electricity in the UK, and in order to meet climate and emission targets experts are urging for an accelerated phase out.
Finance
In a ‘landmark’ deal, the world’s first private sector loan based on biodiversity net gain unit models has been granted. Triodos Bank UK has loaned £3.85m to environmental consultancy Nature Impact – the money will be used to purchase a total of 122 acres over two sites, unlocking degraded farmland for biodiversity net gain. These degraded sites will undergo restoration and habitat creation, including native wildflower meadows and wetlands, to enhance their support of British wildlife and climate goals.
Ecologists at Oxford University have designed a new framework to classify how a unit of nature is defined for biodiversity credits. In the review, researchers acknowledge the lack of clarity on how one unit of nature is defined, or how measurements are standardised, and demonstrated the challenges involved with the biodiversity credit market. It presents a framework exploring how biodiversity is quantified, how positive outcomes are detected and how the number of credits can be adjusted to account for uncertainties. The authors caution against biodiversity credits to offset negative impacts, and instead direct focus on avoiding and reducing these factors.
Packed with insider information, Identifying Bats of Britain and Ireland offers expert guidance on how to identify bats in the hand for beginners and field ecologists alike. Filling a gap between introductory books and more technical volumes, this humorous guide uses detailed images, diagrams and tables to communicate, in simple terms, the fundamentals of bat ecology, survey equipment, techniques required when training for a bat licence and the key features that distinguish one species from another.
James Shipman is an ecologist and bat enthusiast who loves to inspire and motivate future bat workers. He works as a senior ecologist and is involved in numerous bat-related projects. In 2016 he was recognised with the Bat Conservation Trust’s Pete Guest Award for outstanding contribution to bat conservation.
We recently chatted with James about his inspiration for the book, which challenges he faced when constructing a detailed identification guide and more.
Can you tell us a little about yourself, your history of working with bats, and why you chose to write this book?
Originally I planned to work as a game ranger in South Africa, but after returning to the UK, I studied zoology, met my wife and fell into landscaping as my first career and passion. A roofer and a builder both mentioned that I may ‘like’ working with bats, as I’m an animal person, so I explored the idea of them as a hobby!
After a few events I was gripped, and I have now volunteered with bats for nearly 15 years with the intention to install passion, enthusiasm and fun into everything bat-related for volunteers and professionals! Within this time I have helped to train over 50-75 individuals (could be more, I don’t count!) and after nearly 20 years in the landscaping sector, I now work in ecology as a professional.
During my years of training, I found that the more serious and technical books available out there made it hard to learn, and that digestible guidance that was fun, relatable and easy to work with would be beneficial! A lot of my trainees suggested the idea for the book originally, and other bat authors with Pelagic mentioned to the publishers that I would bring a nice approach to ID for ecologists – so here we are.
You have taken a relatable, and oftentimes humorous, approach in the way Identifying Bats of Britain and Ireland was written. Why did you feel this was important, and with that in mind who is this book designed for?
Who said science, research and volunteering can’t be fun! If you enjoy what you do, it’s more fun and you usually get more out of it!
I thought it was important to bring my open, welcoming personality to bats and volunteering into the book, as well as an understanding of how hard it can be to learn in the world of ecology.
Public opinion of bats is often contested, and their associations with rabies and vampirism contribute to this negative perception. This guide contains a section on the myths and rumours of bats – why did you feel it was important to debunk these misconceptions?
Well spotted! It’s one of my favourite parts of any walk, talk, training or even in the book itself. Bats have such a negative view through media – whether it’s Halloween, Covid or other diseases, the positives (not just bats but anything in life) are very rarely talked about! So let’s try and win one for the bats – 2,000 less mosquito bites a night is a good seller!
This guide also features vagrants and species that are extremely rare in the UK. How did you navigate writing about species that you may not have met? And did you find it challenging to construct identification guidance for these scarcer species?
Fortunately I have handled and seen these species abroad in my years of volunteering and training (which I will touch more on in your last question), and I have even been lucky to handle one or two of these in the UK too!
The hardest part of it all was trying to address the elephant in the room (or maybe I should say vagrant in the sky!). I believe there are now 21 species found in the UK – some of these are not proven residents, but are not far off – plus a few others that I chose not to include at the time of publication as records were too scarce!
Were there any other challenges that you came across in the process of writing this book?
As previously mentioned, mental health is important in all areas of life, and I felt that slight delays in finishing this book were due to anxiety of judgement on the final product. However, many close friends and ex-trainees assured me that more positives will come of this work than negatives.
The book is aimed at any level of bat worker and should taken with a light hearted approach. It’s important to address these things when discussing books and publishing – it’s a hard process, and without friends, family and a decent publisher (plus the bats) you can sometimes feel isolated. Luckily, I had the best support from all of the above!
What’s your advice for those just getting started in this field?
Well I could say read the book (haha), there are some good sections about starting out with bats. In short, don’t give up, persist, find bat workers who are open, friendly and passionate with no judgement (they are out there, I’m one of them), and most importantly have fun!
Finally, what’s next for you? Do you have plans for more books in the future?
Um… a break! It’s harder than I ever imagined. However, I would love to eventually write a similar book for bats of Europe! But it may take a while to compile some new jokes!
Identifying Bats of Britain and Ireland is available from our online bookstore here.
An area larger than India has permanentlydegraded into arid conditions, research shows. Studies by the UN Science Policy Interface have reported that up to three quarters of the world’s land has experienced likely irreversible drying in the past thirty years and now, arid drylands make up 40% of land on earth. Driven by climate change, poor farming practices, excessive water extraction and many other factors, this drying could see significant decreases in crop yield, GDP,and a reduction in the capacity of the land to store water.
A two-year restoration project in Avon Heath Country Park will help to restore a rare habitat. Funded by Defra, £1.2 million will be used to restore this Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that is home to 2.5% of the world’sremaining lowland heathland. The 210-hectare site provides key habitat for all of Britain’s native reptiles, including Smooth Snakes and ground-nesting birds such as Woodlarks and Nightjars. Restoration work will involve the removal of invasive rhododendron, scrub and pine trees to rejuvenate the heathland and increase the availability of light for low-lying plants.
Conservation
A recent survey has shown that Grey Squirrels are invading Red Squirrel strongholds. Conducted by Red Squirrels Northern England (RSNE), the survey assessed 246 sites for an annual squirrel check. The survey found a rising presence of Grey Squirrels in Red Squirrel strongholds, a trend described as ‘concerning’ by RSNE project officers. These invasive, non-native species were found in 69% of surveyed sites, a 6.8% increase from last year and are now outnumbering Red Squirrels in Cumbria and Northumberland. However, RSNEsuccessfully recorded a 2% increase of Red Squirrels in survey sites, up from 50% in 2023.
Cutting-edge technology is being used to inform forestry management in the UK. Forestry England is employing bioacoustic technology, environmental DNA (eDNA) and drones to inform conservation efforts across multiple sites. EDNA gathered from soil, air and water is being used to build a better picture of community composition across 21 forestry sites, and after four months of sampling, 5,000 unique fungal species and 1,000 invertebrate species have been identified. Bioacoustic datais alsobeing gathered across four areas in Somerset, Dorset, Northumberland and North Yorkshire and will be used to track bumblebee activity through analysis of flight sound. This detailed data will be used to form a new biodiversity baseline to monitor the effectiveness of conservation effortsin the midst of biodiversity decline and climate change.
Angela Rayner has been met with criticism following an interview discussing Labour’s housing pledge. With plans to build 1.5 million homes and fast-track over 150 major infrastructure projects, wildlife protection may take a back seat. Rayner expressed concern for those who desperately need housing, stating thatproviding homes in the UK should not be sacrificed for wildlife protection. Despite critics deemingthe targets ‘unrealistic’, Rayner assured that compliance with national building plans would be mandatory under Labour’s National Planning Policy Framework.
Vital scrubland habitats are at risk following Labour’s announcement to build on grey belt land. Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has pledged to build 1.5 million homes on redefined green belt land, known as grey belt land. With what some call a ‘vague definition’ of grey belt land, swathes of countryside could be sacrificed for housing developments, in areas that could have been transformed to woodland or wetland habitats. This traditional landscape is vital for wildlife, including birds, reptiles and amphibians, and could prove essential in meeting 30×30 targets.
The Wildwood Trust was established in 2002 and is one of the UK’s leading conservation and rewilding trust. The charity aims to push the boundaries of conservation by working alongside nature to fight the biodiversity crisis and halt species extinction using nature-based solutions. Alongside their conservation projects, volunteering opportunities and memberships, they also offer a host of educational courses and workshops across both of their sites.
Wildwood Devon is home to numerous native bat species, and over the last two years, they have been working alongside Devon Bat Conservation and Research Group to create, assist and monitor secure bat roosting sites for the breeding season to support endangered bat populations. In mid-2023, NHBS donated 10 general-purpose bat boxes to support this project. A year later, we had the opportunity to talk to The Wildwood Trust about the results from their first annual species survey on this site, how our donation has aided the project’s success, discuss their goals for the next five years and more.
Firstly, can you tell us about The Wildwood Trust and how the charity began?
Established in 2002, The Wildwood Trust is a native species conservation charity formed to push the boundaries of innovative conservation and rewilding. The charity began after it was decided that a small zoo could be instrumental in educating Kent locals about British wildlife –the zoo wassubsequently renamed Wildwood Discovery Park and soon becameThe Wildwood Trust. Since then, the park has grown and changed, and the Trust has takenon a second site on the Escot Estate in Devon. We recently rebranded and the sites are now known as Wildwood Kent and Wildwood Devon, both working under The Wildwood Trust. We work with nature to fight the biodiversity crisis, to halt the extinction of species and to create resilient habitats in which nature thrives. Wildwood’s experience and expertise in working with native species means we can work effectively across the UK in many projects, focussing on nature-based solutions to reinstate native species populations and recreate truly wild spaces. Rewilding, through the reintroduction of keystone species, is the most powerful tool we have. These reintroduced animals altertheir landscape by creating the space and complexity for hundreds of other species to thrive.
Which species are you hoping to encourage to the area with the installation of our bat boxes?
We have a number of resident species on site, including Brown Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus), Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus), Daubenton’s Bat (Myotis daubentonii), Noctule (Nyctalus noctula), Soprano Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pygmaeus) and Whiskered Bat (Myotis mystacinus). With the addition of the Schwegler 2F Bat Boxes supplied by NHBS, we are hoping to attract a wider range of species, including Barbastelle (Barbastella barbastellus) and Nathusius’ Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii).
We have since completed our first bat box check and are pleased to see that our resident bats have taken to the boxes, and we have found pipistrelle droppings in multiple boxes. We were also lucky enough to find a female Common Pipistrelle in one of the boxes.
Breeding projects are a key element of the work you do. Why are these programmes so important and do you have a favourite success story that you can share with us?
Breeding projects are incredibly useful for a number of reasons, from maintaining genetic diversity within the population all the way through to providing an alternative to translocations. We work with a number of organisations and charities, who are also involved in captive breeding groups, to maintain high standards of husbandry and welfare to provide a healthy, genetically diverse captive population that can assist in future conservation projects.
I couldn’t possibly choose a favourite as Wildwood has bred and reintroduced many species, including Water Voles as part of development mitigation work and Hazel Dormice into suitable areas of former range. However, the memorable reintroduction of Red Squirrels to Anglesey was a successful project and re-established an iconic species after significant declines following the introduction of Grey Squirrels. We have also joined forces with other major captive breeding collections to implement a national captive breeding group which can assist in any future conservation projects.
How is Wildwood working to combat the effects of climate change?
Many of our rewilding projects aim to facilitate the restoration of native habitats, often through reinstating lost species. A good example of this would be our flagship wilding project ‘Blean Bison’ in Canterbury. Launched in 2019 with Kent Wildlife Trust, the project looked to promote stronger habitats by restoring natural processes and aimed to bring transformational change through a controlled trial with European Bison. To combat climate change, the project is aiming to restore 600 hectares of ancient woodland, a vital natural carbon store that can hold around 30% of the world’s carbon.
What does the Wildwood Trust hope to achieve in the next five years?
Wildwood will continue to be a leader in the field of native species conservation. We will continue to deliver our mission to protect, conserve and rewild British wildlife by building long-term and sustainable partnerships with like-minded organisations. Through collaborative working, we can maximise our impact and bring resilience to our native ecosystems.
Are there any other conservation projects that you’re working on that you can tell us about?
We are proud to be a collaborative organisation and, with like-minded conservation partners, we are now working towards the conservation and reintroduction of several species across Britain, including wildcats, Red-billed Chough and White-clawed Crayfish to name a few.
Part of the national captive breeding programme, the wildcats at Wildwood are involved in the creation of a genetically viable captive population. Our wildcat breeding programme has been hugely successful and in 2020 we announced our collaborative work to restore the European Wildcat to Britain.
As a keystone species, the conservation of White-clawed Crayfish is important for several reasons. The only native crayfish species found in the UK, these crustaceans play a key role in the food chain and are an important indicator species for freshwater health. White-clawed Crayfish are threatened by invasive Signal Crayfish, so our work to support the breeding of these animals through establishing a Devon crayfish hatchery is important in ensuring their survival.
For over 200 years the Red-billed Chough has been missing from Kent, so we have partnered with Kent Wildlife Trust to reintroduce these birds to the cliffs of Dover. The project has now reached its second year of reintroductions, and there are now 19 birds established in the area.
We are always looking for more projects to get involved with so please do get in touch if you think we can help!
NHBS is working with the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST)to develop an innovativeapproach to amphibian monitoring using NEWTCAM, an underwater camera device. In collaboration, we have been refining and testing NEWTCAM to evaluate its potential for biodiversity monitoring. In this update, we share the latest developments in this exciting project.
NEWTCAM Overview
The NEWTCAM is an open underwater tunnel with an integrated camera and lighting system used to automatically capture high resolution images and video of aquatic animals. Specifically developed for Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus) surveys, the NEWTCAM works by taking an image of a newt’s underside. These images enable the determination of sex, development stage and individual identification due to the unique spot patterns on each animal. It can be left unattended in the water for several days minimising animal handling, greatly improving survey effort, detection rates, and reducing stress on the animals. The AI-based processing method is classifying images by species and gender (for the four newt species found in the UK), but does not provide population estimates. Individuation (for population estimates) require more AI developments.
Great Crested Newt captured with NEWTCAM. Image by the University of Kent
The project has two primary aims: to improve the functionality, durability and versatility of the NEWTCAM and to assess its value as a user-friendly freshwater wildlife monitoring method. These aims will be accomplished through a programme of technological development work at LIST laboratories and the NHBS workshop, followed by field experiments conducted by LIST and early user trials. These experiments will test the reliability and robustness of the NEWTCAM for amphibian monitoring and surveying, the NEWTCAM’s ability to detect multiple species and life stages in various habitats, and whether the data produced is sufficient in producing population estimates.
2024 Update
Since the initial field trials, we have continued to refine the NEWTCAM’s design and outer housing, making improvements ahead of a second round of trials.
During the summer, 24 NEWTCAM units were distributed for field trials across Europe, Asia and America, with one unit in California. These trials have the following objectives:
Test the latest version of the NEWTCAM in diverse environments
Gather user feedback on the NEWTCAM design
Improve knowledge on the scope of species that can be observed
During this time, two NEWTCAM devices were deployed in a pond in Luxembourg from March to September, and have successfully produced a time series of larval, juvenile and adult Great Crested Newts. Additionally, a trial in Kent, UK observed adult Great Crested Newts later in the season.
Additionally, our early users have successfully captured first observations of the Marbled Newt (Triturus marmoratus) and Hong Kong Warty Newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis) with NEWTCAM, and we have observed natural foraging behaviours in Great Crested Newts without human interference.
These initial trials have also highlighted NEWTCAMs potential for monitoring other aquatic species beyond amphibians. Early users have reported observations on a variety of taxa including water beetles and fish, highlighting the potential versatility of the device.
What’s Next?
We will continue to gather user feedback from the ongoing field trials with the first batch of NEWTCAM units to guide further development of the device. Additional field trials will be carried out in the spring of 2025, with the final product planned to enter production by the end of the year.
Yellow-bellied toad on a NEWTCAM. Image by Pairi Daiza Foundation, Nassonia Project.
The Field Studies Council has been educating the public on Britain’s natural environment for 70 years, and its publications have played a vital part in making nature more accessible. Three generations of wildlife enthusiasts and conservation professionals have learned about the UK’s plants and animals through Field Studies Council courses and honed their skills with Field Studies Council publications.
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Dr Rebecca Farley-Brown, Head of Publications at the Field Studies Council, about the many courses they run, how they develop their identification guides, their exciting new projects for the New Year and more.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what your role within the Field Studies Council entails?
Dr Rebecca Farley-Brown, Head of Field Studies Council Publications
My role within the Field Studies Council is Head of Publications, based in our warehouse in Telford. I started out in academic research and lecturing before moving to Field Studies Council in 2000. As well as business and product development, I manage the postal sales team that processes orders for our retailers as well as our e-commerce shop. It’s a busy role – every year we mail out over 145,000 guides and aim to publish at least four new ones. We also develop commissioned guides to support citizen science projects.
Developing identification guides is a key part of what we do – for those that take the first step of peering into the garden in search of butterflies and bees on flowerheads, through to guides for enthusiasts, fieldworkers and scientists.I am lucky to have a job which can make a difference, and successful identification is fundamental to survey work and biological recording – if we can’t name it, we can’t protect it.
Founded in 1943, Field Studies Council aims to facilitate an array of opportunities for people to learn about nature, which includes field or outdoor educational classes, residential and day centres, natural history courses and more. How large is your operation and what can be expected from one of your courses?
We have a network of 11 residential field centres and seven day centres across the UK, where we welcome over 100,000 learners from schools, colleges and universities every year. There is no substitute for first-hand experiences in nature, and our charity gives learners a special opportunity to see and explore natural landscapes for themselves. There are wider benefits too – being outdoors is good for mental health and wellbeing.
Our teams provide over 200 natural history courses a year, taking place online or in stunning locations. Whether you’re learning online at a pace that suits you, or in-person gaining practical hands-on experience, all of our courses are led by expert tutors who have a wealth of knowledge, and participants often leave feeling very inspired.
Natural history course participants learning how to identify dragonflies and damselflies
There is always a large demand for professional skills courses from those within the environmental job sector, including topics like habitat surveying, protected species, and understanding Biodiversity Net Gain. Alongside this, we get a lot of enthusiasts and students who are looking to improve identification skills for biological recording and knowledge to further their careers. As an example, our two-and-a-half day ‘Bats: Ecology, Surveying, and Conservation’ course will see you explore areas around our field centre in Shrewsbury. It offers hands-on experience with equipment such as bat detectors, where you will complete a bat survey and analyse the results. Plus, if you’re staying with us overnight, you can have a chilled catch-up with other like-minded people in the evening.
The charity has been creating Field Studies Council identification guides for many years, with a catalogue of over 200 guides to date. These resources cover a vast range of topics from plants and fungi to mammals and insects – can you share with us how you decide which subjects to focus on?
We try to keep an overview of what guides we have, where there are gaps and what needs updating. We had fungi marked as a potential area for a few years, but struggled to find an author until we started working with fungi expert Geoffrey Kibby in 2023, and we now have three WildID guides to distinctive fungi which have been really popular this autumn.
We also think about levels – people need different types of guides depending on their knowledge and experience. Someone starting to look at local wildlife might be happy to know they have found a grasshopper, whereas the enthusiasts and recorders will want to identify it to species level.
That being said, some keys are a challenge to develop and might not make it through to publication. We like to thoroughly test our guides with a range of people, including experts in the subject to make sure they are accurate and useful.
From beginners to experts, we make guides suitable for all skill levels.
Each guide is beautifully produced and printed, featuring numerous detailed illustrations to aid reliable identification. What process do you go through when selecting an expert illustrator for each guide?
We’re lucky to have good working relationships with several artists, so we have a regular group we tend to use, some of whom are experts in their field too. Sometimes we can reuse existing artwork such as Richard Lewington’s butterflies and dragonflies – the detail on these is exquisite and so accurate, even down to wing venation.
Other times we might need to commission new illustrations, and it is always good to see these develop. Lizzie Harper does many of our plant illustrations, and we recently worked with her on the Waterside Plants WildID guide. Once we have decided on the species and the features that need illustrating, Lizzie will produce sketches that the final artwork will be based on – it’s always an exciting moment when these arrive!
Suddenly you can start to visualise the finished guide. This is the time to check the details. Are any modifications needed? Are there particular features, such as hairs, that need to be brought out in the final painting? All of this is discussed, and then we sit back and wait for the finished artwork to arrive. Lizzie has a lovely blog on her website, which gives an insight into how she develops her artwork.
Our selection of new fungi WildID guides feature beautiful illustrations and have been very popular this autumn.
What are some of the challenges that the charity has faced over the past few years, and what are your hopes for the future of the Field Studies Council going forward?
One of the biggest challenges was COVID-19 – lockdown meant that our field centres were closed, and the majority of staff were placed on furlough. But it was also an opportunity, and sales of the wildlife guides flourished as more people had time to spend outdoors exploring.
During this period, we also developed a couple of online natural history courses. These proved extremely popular, and over time we’ve increased our range to over 44 topics which we run every year. Feedback on these showed that it was a fantastic way for people to learn about nature from their own home, especially with time restrictions or accessibility constraints.
We hope to continue to increase the variety of online training we offer; while improving accessibility, we will also be mirroring these topics in our practical field-based courses to offer progression routes.
With 2025 just around the corner, are there any exciting new projects on the horizon that we can hear about?
We are always working on new guides. Some are still a few years away from completion, but a guide to raptors in flight is nearly finished and an AIDGAP guide to micro ladybirds and another fungi guide are planned for 2025. We also have a sedges guide in development, which will hopefully be progressing to the layout stage next year.
We’re also thinking about beetles, and working on another introductory guide series to common wildlife that we hope to launch in the spring.
We have over 100 WildID guides to choose from, covering everything from lichens to ladybirds.
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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 
