August 2021
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has recently started using a database known as Nature Counts to record wildlife sightings within the county, not only on the Trust’s own nature reserves but anywhere else too. Sighting records, once verified, eventually find their way onto the National Biodiversity Network database. A number of other trusts are starting to use Nature Counts, which was developed initially by the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust.
Within Nature Counts, we have set up a special activity for Sharphill Wood, allowing sightings within or close to the wood to be kept together. This activity has already been populated with information from some surveys carried out in recent years (e.g., on birds, bats, fungi and bryophytes), and later in the year we will add plants based on this year’s flora survey being carried out by Richard Elliott. Also a number of casual sightings have been added. A number of common species don’t yet appear there (e.g., Grey Squirrel, Red Fox), simply because we need to associate a particular date with a sighting, but doubtless these gaps will be filled before long. Even if a species has already been recorded at Sharphill, it doesn’t hurt to add a further record if it is a less common species or there is something of particular interest (e.g., large numbers, nesting activity, unusual behaviour).
If you would like to get involved, you can visit the Nature Counts website at https://record.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/ and create yourself an account. This will allow you to submit sightings anywhere in Notts, including sightings in your own garden even. Having got yourself an account, you can ask us to send you an invitation to become a member of the Sharphill Wood activity. This will enable you to explore all sightings that have been submitted within the context of this activity. It will also allow you to submit your own sightings at Sharphill Wood within the context of this activity, so that they will be visible to anyone exploring sightings at Sharphill.
As mentioned before, sighting records are subject to verification as to plausibility. However, submission of a photo with your record can assist this verification process. Therefore photos are very much encouraged, particularly of less common or harder-to-identify species.
Please use the contact form if you would like more information on Nature Counts or require assistance in using it. We may be able to organise a presentation if there is sufficient interest.
