SERC and Somerset Wildlife Trust have paired up again!
The Big Count 2026 is the big annual event in the Great Somerset Wildlife Count calendar! We run individual species counts throughout the year but this is the big one! You’ve captured almost 3000 species records and we’re back for more.
Join us in our 5th year collecting species data across Somerset through this project! We’ll need you to keep your eyes peeled for 11 individual species and any species in our four groups between the 18th and 27th June. Download a FREE Big Count pack via the Somerset Wildlife Trust website for more information.
Species Name
Small Tortoiseshell
Habitat/Where to look
Gardens, hedgerows, flower-rich meadows, woodland rides, coastal paths, and nettles.
Common Slowworm
Rough grassland, compost heaps, allotments, and woodland margins.
Spiders
Virtually everywhere: gardens, woodland, grassland, houses, wetlands, and hedgerows.
European Goldfinch
Farmland, gardens, orchards, parkland, scrub, and hedgerows.
Fungi (including lichens)
Ancient woodland, damp pasture, churchyards, moorland, and old stone walls.
Gastropods (Snails/Slugs)
Damp gardens, woodland leaf litter, wetlands, riverbanks, and hedgerows.
Hares and Rabbits
Damp gardens, woodland leaf litter, wetlands, riverbanks, and hedgerows.
Common Bird’s-foot Trefoil
Flower-rich grassland, roadside verges, coastal grassland, and limestone meadows.
Marbled White
Chalk/limestone grassland, sunny meadows, and woodland rides (Mendip Hills).
Dragonflies & Damselflies
Wetlands, ponds, canals, rivers, marshes, and reedbeds.
Speckled Wood
Shaded woodland rides, hedgerows, parks, and gardens.
Common Blue
Sunny grassland, coastal dunes, and wildflower meadows.
Eurasian Bullfinch
Dense hedgerows, orchards, woodland edges, gardens, and scrub.
Red Fox
Farmland, woodland, villages, suburbs, and town centres.