In your garden

Become your very own Reserve Warden

If you are a keen gardener or like to sit and watch the birds on your garden feeder you could start making a note of things you see in your garden and become your very own Reserve Warden.

Factual data with dates, numbers sightings and additional information is very useful. All data gathered in Somerset is fed into the Somerset database and data shared with all of our partners to assist in conservation work through to guiding policies and planning decisions.

Example; grey wagtail, seen on 24/4/15, resting on shingle mound in stream and feeding along bank.

Why not get started on your own log today

You could record things on a spreadsheet, word document or on paper, or you could record straight into our database. If you record online you will be able to see a list of everything you’ve recorded and really put your wildlife haven on the map.

Everyone has a patch of garden or space for a plant pot or two to do something good for wildlife. There is lots of gardening advice available and easy wildlife friendly additions or changes you can make to your garden, but how do you know what impact you are having ? Making note of your observations or ‘recording’ as it is often known, is of interest to more than you and your family.

It is often stated that gardens are an over looked resource for wildlife. They are. Increasingly species that used to be found only in the countryside are coming to our gardens. Woodpeckers and Bullfinches are not unusual and in the winter you might see Fieldfares. The urban environment where most of us live, is relatively unknown. A real contribution to our knowledge can be made with simple observations of your own environment and an increased enjoyment as a consequence. Just look out the window or go out and explore, whatever it is let us know. If you want help with what you see then please get in touch.