Like many people, I like to get out of the office and get some fresh air at lunchtime. I am very lucky to be based at Lings nature reserve on the outskirts of Northampton, which is packed with wildlife. One thing I particularly like doing during my breaks is to make a list of the species I see. This is really enjoyable and encourages me to look closer at the wildlife around me, but is also very important as my records feed into local and national databases.

We cannot conserve species if we do not know where they are found and what they are doing. So, unlikley as it may seem to some, spreadsheets and databases ultimately save wildlife. Sending in biological records does take time, but they build up a picture of the species found around us, and it is great to look back at what you have seen!

Anyone can take part in biological recording, so why not take a minute during this lunchbreak to notice and record the wildlife around you?

You can find out more information about biological recording and get support with submitting records from your Local Records Centre: for Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire or Northamptonshire