Our Field Recorder Days are aimed at naturalists of all abilities, from absolute beginners through to experienced biological recorders. These day-long field sessions are led by specialists who will (i) point out species to beginners and explain the features used to reach an identification; and (ii) provide identification support and guidance for more experienced naturalists.
We recommend reading all of the content below if you are booked to attend your first Field Recorder Day with us.
For details on start/finish times, meeting points, getting to the event, toilets and any other event-specific information, please check your booking confirmation email.
What to bring
We spend most (if not all) of our time outside on our Field Recorder Days so we recommend wearing clothes suitable for the unpredictable British weather. We do a lot of walking, so water is essential for remaining hydrated and it is always advisable to have sun protection on sunny days. You’ll also need to bring lunch and snacks with you (unless we are on a site that has a café).
We understand that not everyone owns natural history equipment, so we bring along some key items for people to use on the day. However, if you do own any of the following, it would be useful to bring them with you:
- A hand lens – x10 is suitable for looking at most things (we have a stock of these for those that don’t have one).
- Field guides – any field guides that you have for the target species group are invaluable. We may bring along a few fold-out guides for beginners, but we are limited in what we can carry on the day.
For our invertebrate-focused events, you may also want to bring the following:
- Insect net – we will have a limited number available to use.
- Specimen tubes – these can be plastic or glass and come in a range of sizes (again, we’ll have some for you to borrow if you don’t have any).
Recording your wildlife observations
Although developing natural history skills, meeting fellow naturalists and simply having fun are all important aspects of our Field Recorder Days, the main aim of these events is to generate biodiversity data that can be used for conservation, site management and various other important uses. We encourage all our participants to submit data, so we ask for participants to get set up on iRecord before attending so that they can easily contribute on the day.
You can contribute your data in either of two ways:
- Using the iRecord smartphone app on the day
- Making lists in your notebook or using our paper forms on the day, and submitting the data through the iRecord website at a later date.
If you have not used iRecord before, please see the instructions below to get your account set up ahead of the event.
We have chosen to use iRecord for all of our Field Recorder Days as this enables us to collate all of the data in one place, while also enabling access to the data for National Recording Schemes/Societies (e.g. Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Society) and Local Environmental Record Centres (e.g. Greenspace information for Greater London).
Once set up on iRecord, the easiest way to record your wildlife sightings for the Field Recorder Day is by going to the ‘Record’ tab and then selecting ‘Enter a list of records’. Complete one of these forms for each of the grid references you make records within.
The relevant location name to use will have been provided in the post-event emails sent to you via Eventbrite (email titles containing ‘SUBMIT YOUR RECORDS’ or ‘FINAL CALL FOR RECORDS’).
Alternatively, you can also submit records individually on iRecord by using the ‘Enter a casual record’ form. If you are affiliated with it already, you are also welcome to use the London Natural History Society iRecord activity, though this is not essential.
For more information on using iRecord please see our iRecord: An Introduction guidance page.
Biological recording
To simplify how we undertake biological recording on site, we will travel across the site to a number of pre-designated recording locations. Each location will have a designated grid reference, so that you can build up a list of species for each recording location and submit these as a list of species for that location (rather than having to enter each record individually).
Once on iRecord, your records will be available for specialist verifiers to review. Verifiers for different groups have different protocols for assessing records. Submitting photos is really helpful for these verifiers when assessing your record, so we advise submitting photos as part of your records where possible. Not all of our records will meet the criteria set by verifiers, so please don’t be offended or disheartened if any of your records are queried or rejected – this doesn’t mean they are incorrect, just that the verifier can’t confirm the record is correct. You can help verifiers further by including information such as the guide or features you used to reach your determination, and stating that the specialist confirmed your ID where this occurred.
The following 2 Field Studies Guidance Notes were produced by the FSC BioLinks project and provide useful introductions to both biological recording and grid references. New to biological recording? Check out our Biological Recording: An Introduction guidance page.
Interested in our biological recording and training projects? Subscribe to our free newsletter to receive updates about new courses and learning opportunities, with exclusive subscriber discounts on selected training courses.
Learn to record wildlife with iRecord
Understanding what makes a good biological record is only the first step. The next stage is learning how to submit your records so they can contribute to biological recording schemes, conservation projects and scientific research.
Our iRecord 101 online training course provides a practical introduction to using the iRecord platform. You’ll learn how to create and manage records, add photographs and locations, submit observations for verification, and make the most of iRecord’s features with confidence.
You’ll learn how to:
- Learn what biological recording is and how it supports wildlife research, conservation, citizen science, and environmental decision-making.
- Understand how the iRecord platform works, and confidently submit, manage, and share species records.
- Gain practical skills in collecting high-quality wildlife data, including what information to record, how to ensure accuracy, and how to avoid common mistakes.
- Develop confidence in using recording apps and tools, understanding verification processes, and contributing reliable data to recording schemes and conservation projects.
