With summer just around the corner, practical conservation tasks begin slowing down as the bird's nest and the wildflowers pop-up survey season is heating up, so let's dive in.

What is surveying and Citizen Science?

Surveys are a way of monitoring species and often involve some patience as you identify and count species to help keep a record and monitor the health of species and habitats.

Citizen Scientists are members of the general public who help by taking part in surveys, so anyone can be a Citizen Scientist and participate in important research.

Do I need to know anything?

Many people believe that to do these surveys, you need to be a wildlife expert, and although that would help, many people learn as they survey.

Let's look at a few examples of beginner UK-wide surveys you can get on with without any experience...

Butterflies

Between July and August is great for butterfly surveys, and if you are starting out, then the big butterfly count is a great place to start with family-friendly identification guides. Try to identify the butterflies that fly past the area you are surveying. This could take as little as 15 minutes, then record the species you see on the Big Butterfly Count website, or there's even a handy app for on-the-go surveys.

Follow this link to the Big Butterfly Count >>

Bats

Bat surveys vary in difficulty, but if you want to get started at home, then a sunset survey could be perfect, you don't need any specialist equipment, and it's an excellent easy way to get involved at any age!

Although I've called these sunset surveys, they can be done at sunset or an hour before sunrise from April to October. And it's as simple as counting sheep (hopefully without falling asleep!). Be outside for an hour, count how many bats you see, and note down any other nocturnal wildlife you see. You don't have to know the species for this survey, but it's always great if you do.

If you want to learn or have a go at this survey, here's the link >> 

Bugs/insects

Have you noticed fewer bugs splattered on your windscreens? Bugs Matter is a survey to monitor the "Windscreen Phenomenon", which is the word used to describe the reduction in insects hitting our cars. Although this sounds slightly gruesome, this helps scientists paint a better picture of our insect populations and health. It's a straightforward survey that anyone with access to a car can do.

For more information, follow this link >>

Mammals

If you are going on a walk and want to try your hand at a Citizen Science project, Mammal mapping is another way to get started. Just head out on a walk or even do one-off sightings. Look out for signs of mammals, or if you are lucky, spot some, then record what you've seen on the mammal mapper app or fill in the form to help scientists better understand our mammals and how they are doing!

Follow this link for more information and the mammal mapper app >>

Can't get outside but want to do some Citizen Science indoors?

There is a variety of projects you can get involved with, from helping ID camera trap footage to going through old data, all from the comfort of your sofa. A few different sites offer this, but for a wide variety of projects, check out Zooniverse , where you can do as much or as little as you like.

Explore Zooniverse here >>

These are just a few beginner surveys and a great way to get started, but there are so many others you can get involved with and in varying difficulties.

Surrey Wildlife Trust's survey projects and training

At Surrey Wildlife Trust, we love getting people involved with citizen science. Here are a few ways to get involved with our training and surveys!

Eel monitoring

European eels have a fascinating lifecycle, and each year our volunteers have the fantastic opportunity to learn about it and monitor their numbers as they migrate. 

Space4Nature

An exciting new project using satellites to assess habitats, but before the satellites can do this, we need to train the AI to recognise things, so Citizen Science is being used to survey areas.

Click here for more information and to get involved >> 

BioBlitz

We often run bio blitzes which is great as you never know what you might find. It's an excellent first surveying experience, so watch out for these events!

Bat survey techniques

Want to learn more about bat ecology and survey techniques? Our course is a fantastic in-depth introduction for budding ecologists, and anyone interested in learning more about these incredible mammals.

Find out more about this course >>

Chalk grassland species survey

We are lucky to have chalk grassland habitats in Surrey, which are abundant with rare species, so these surveys are essential in monitoring species abundance and health.

We often have events and courses on so keep an eye out on our website here >>