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 | Habitat/Where to look |
|---|---|
| Small Tortoiseshell | 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 | Grassland, open arable farmland, and large pasture fields (Somerset Levels). |
| 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. |