News and events

Out now: Spring Issue of the BMERC Newsletter

The Spring Issue of our newsletter is out now, with updates from the BMERC team, what to look for in spring, and ways to get involved with conservation and biological recording.

If you are involved with a local recording or natural history group and would like to submit an article, we would love to feature you; please contact us for details.

This edition and past issues are available to download as a pdf:

Issue 9 - Spring 2022

Issue 8 - Autumn 2021

Issue 7 - Summer 2021

Issue 6 - Spring 2021

Issue 5 - Winter 2021

Issue 4 - Autumn 2020

Issue 3 - August 2020

Issue 2 - June 2020

Issue 1 - May 2020

 

BMERC Annual Recorders' Seminar 2022: Bookings now open!

Our Annual Recorders' Seminar will be held on Saturday, 2 April 2022 and this year's theme is Connecting the Dots. It will be held online using Zoom. For more information and to book your place, please click here.

We will also be holding our Photography Competition at the seminar; you can download the entry form using the same link above.

Although we had considered the possibility of returning to an in-person event this year, we had to take the decision to hold the seminar online for the second year in a row. We really value the opportunity to meet, network and have conversations that an in-person seminar provides, and we know that many of our recorders and volunteers feel the same way, so we hope that we can hold the seminar in-person again next year.

We look forward to "seeing" many of you online in April! 

Some ideas for things to do at home in Autumn 2021

You can always submit your records of flora and fauna seen around Buckinghamshire to BMERC directly or through iRecord (either the website or download the app), but if you're looking for other ways to get involved from home, here are some suggestions:

• Are Britain's wild animals eating plastics? The Mammal Society have launched a new project to investigate the impact of plastic pollution on Britain's small mammals. Very little is known about the impact of plastics on land mammals and you can help! There are many ways to get involved, from donating towards equipment costs to collecting small animal droppings. Learn more about the project on the Mammal Society website: www.mammal.org.uk/science-research/are-britains-wild-animals-eating-plastics/
  
  
• The Mammal Society also has a new app for surveying the UK's mammal populations. Visit the website to learn more about Mammal Mapper: www.mammal.org.uk/volunteering/mammal-mapper

• Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Society: Colletes hederae (Ivy bee) mapping project. Since its first appearance in Britain in 2001, the Ivy bee has spread across much of southern England. The species is on the wing from early September until early November and frequently found on its key pollen forage plant, Ivy. Help BWARS map its spread by submitting your records. For more information about the Ivy bee and its identification, visit: www.bwars.com/content/colletes-hederae-mapping-project

• UK Fungus Day - 2 October 2021. Put the "fun" in fungi and explore the fungal kingdom on the UK Fungus Day website. There is a 2021 programme of talks and events, a fungi photo competition, expert tips from mycologists and resources for schools, families and anyone interested in fungi! www.ukfungusday.co.uk/

• Plantlife: Waxcap Watch. Do you like being outside and could you spare an hour or two? From late summer and before the first winter frosts, Plantlife is asking you to look out for colourful waxcaps and simply record the colours of the waxcaps you see. They can be found in gardens and grassy spaces in towns and cities, as well as out in the countryside. Learn more on the Plantlife website: www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/habitats/grassland/waxcaps-fungi/waxcapp-survey

• Plantlife: Fall into Nature. This Autumn series of online webinars shows how plant conservation meets the climate and ecological crises, whilst at the same time providing an opportunity to tackle some of the crises faced in wider society. The series is available to watch on the Plantlife YouTube playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbwhrNerrP5QNLJatyybt3uqJiEpBjT26
  
  
• Natural History Live. Increase your knowledge of the natural world from home with these short natural history webinars offered by FSC Biolinks. https://www.field-studies-council.org/biolinks-courses/ 
  
  
• Caring for God's Acre is also running a series of webinars this autumn, with topics including Caring for Fungi, How to find Reptiles & Amphibians, Introduction to recording trees for the Ancient Tree Inventory, How to organise and run guided walks, and more! The webinars are free but donations are gratefully received. Visit their website for details on the webinars and how to register: www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/get-involved/attend-a-session/webinars
  
  
• RHS Cellar Slug Hunt. The RHS are keen to understand more about common garden visitors - slugs! Report your sightings of two common cellar slugs, which might be anywhere in Bucks and Milton Keynes. https://www.rhs.org.uk/slugssurvey

 

Autumn Newsletter out now

The Autumn Issue of our newsletter is out now, with updates from the BMERC team, what to look for in autumn, and ways to get involved with conservation and biological recording.

If you are involved with a local recording or natural history group and would like to submit an article, we would love to feature you; please contact us for details.

This edition and all of our past issues are available to download as a pdf:

Issue 8 - Autumn 2021

Issue 7 - Summer 2021

Issue 6 - Spring 2021

Issue 5 - Winter 2021

Issue 4 - Autumn 2020

Issue 3 - August 2020

Issue 2 - June 2020

Issue 1 - May 2020

BMERC opening times over Christmas and the New Year

Please note that the BMERC office will be closed from 12:30 on Friday 24^th December and will re-open at 09:00 on Tuesday 4^th January 2022.

Our online Data Searches service can still be used to submit search requests during this time, but no searches will be returned until we re-open in the New Year.

COVID-19: BMERC is working

All the BMERC staff are now working from home. As far as we are able, we will continue to operate as normal.

Our Data Searches service is operational, but it may take a little longer than usual to respond.

If you need to Contact us, we are available via the usual email and phone (01296 382431). 

If you are spending a lot more time at home, why not take the opportunity to do some recording, but don't forget to send us your records!

Above all, please stay safe.

Summer Newsletter out now

The Summer Issue of our newsletter is out now, with updates on projects across our patch, as well as what the BMERC team has been getting up to in the sunny weather. 

Thank you to all of our guest authors in this issue. If you are involved with a local recording or natural history group and would like to submit an article, we would love to feature you; please contact us for details.

This edition and all of our past issues are available to download as a pdf:

Issue 7 - Summer 2021

Issue 6 - Spring 2021

Issue 5 - Winter 2021

Issue 4 - Autumn 2020

Issue 3 - August 2020

Issue 2 - June 2020

Issue 1 - May 2020

 

Volunteers needed!

Nonagenarian dormouse researcher John Prince is back in the woods and looking for your help.

He’s using two methods to establish the presence of dormice high in the canopy of Little Linford Wood near Milton Keynes. Firstly, a baited camera trap, specially designed to focus on dormice that have found their way into his uniquely designed box. In addition, he will be using multiple treetop feeding stations combined with footprint tunnels. John hopes to have enough support to place at least five throughout the wood. 

The first date for putting his monitoring equipment into place is Sunday, 25th July, meeting in the Little Linford Wood car park at 10am. Both methods will need regular checking once they are in place, so John would love to see anyone who can help either with setting up or subsequent monitoring. No experience required and you won’t need a dormouse licence. John is happy to chat to anyone on the phone about his project and will be delighted if you can help him out. To be put in touch please email: joycetm@uwclub.net

 

Some ideas for things to do at home now (Summer 2021)

You can always submit your records of flora and fauna seen around Buckinghamshire to BMERC directly or through iRecord (either the website or download the app), but if you're looking for other ways to get involved from home, here are some suggestions:

• UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme: Flower Insect Timed Count. Get involved with invertebrate recording where ever you are with this simple ten-minute survey! It can be done in your back garden, a local green space, or where ever you chose to take in nature. www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/pollinator-monitoring
  
  
• Plantlife: Cowslips Survey. Take a peek inside a cowslip and help Plantlife better understand the health of our grasslands! Cowslips are one of our most familiar spring wildflowers, but have you ever looked closely at one? Learn more on the Plantlife website: www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/cowslip-survey
• Plantlife: No Mow May and Every Flower Counts. Plantlife has asked us yet again to leave our lawns to grow long as part of No Mow May and to do a simple survey at the end of the month to get your own personal nectar score. Visit their website for more information: https://www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts/
  
  
• Natural History Live. Increase your knowledge of the natural world from home with these short natural history webinars offered by FSC Biolinks. https://www.field-studies-council.org/biolinks-courses/ 
  
  
• Bees, Wasps & Ants Recording Society: First Flight. This spring and summer, BWARS is collecting data on the first recorded flight date of 18 species commonly encountered in gardens and parks across the country. More information is available on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/notes/uk-bees-wasps-and-ants/bwars-first-flight-date-project/2008621562612708/
   
  
• RHS Cellar Slug Hunt. The RHS are keen to understand more about common garden visitors - slugs! Report your sightings of two common cellar slugs, which might be anywhere in Bucks and Milton Keynes. https://www.rhs.org.uk/slugssurvey

Spring Issue out now!

Our Spring Issue of the newsletter is out now, filled with updates on projects happening across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, as well as ways to get involved with both the natural and the historic environment. It also includes a report on our Annual Recorders' Seminar, which we held online in March. The recording of the day is available on YouTube, visit the Seminar 2021 page of our website for that link and information about the day.

Thank you to all of our guest authors in this issue. If you are involved with a local recording or natural history group and would like to submit an article, we would love to feature you; please contact us for details.

The Spring issue and all of our past issues are available to download as a pdf:

Issue 6 - Spring 2021

Issue 5 - Winter 2021

Issue 4 - Autumn 2020

Issue 3 - August 2020

Issue 2 - June 2020

Issue 1 - May 2020

 

The Charges for our Data Searches will change on 4th May 2021

We will be increasing the charges we make for our online Data Searches and other services we provide by 3% from Tues 4^th May 2021.  The increase is to cover our increasing costs and is broadly in line with inflation. 

 

Winter Newsletter out now

Issue 5 of the BMERC Newsletter is now available and includes a wide range of articles including updates from a number of projects around Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.  Thank you to all of our authors who wrote for this issue. 

The new Winter issue and all of our past issues are available to download as a pdf:

Issue 5 - Winter 2021

Issue 4 - Autumn 2020

Issue 3 - August 2020

Issue 2 - June 2020

Issue 1 - May 2020

If you would like to write an article for our newsletter, please contact us for more information. The next edition will be our Spring issue in April 2021.

Get involved with recording from home

As we adjust to life in lockdown, this wonderful sunny spring reminds me of all the surveys I had planned and was looking forward to. Thankfully this country has a long history in biological recording and possibly some of the best established schemes for wildlife recording. In the age of technology you only need a computer or a phone and you can do (almost) anything you want. 

One thing I had been wanting to do for a while was to get more involved with recording invertebrates. Now that I am at home, with a lovely garden, a warm spring and a very energetic 10 year old child, this is the time to start!

Last week I attended the webinar session organized by Nick Marriner, Martin Harvey and Edwina Brugge about the Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS). The session lasted a bit more than one hour and it was very successful! Martin and Edwina trained us on the ten-minute pollinator FIT Counts (Flower-Insect Timed Count), a survey that can be done in gardens or even on window boxes.

My son, Dylan, and I built our 50x50cm quadrat with bamboo sticks and looked around the garden to find the best flowers to survey.

Although at this time of the year we don’t have any of the target flowers suggested by the scheme we still have a lot of flowers. Our pear tree at the moment is in full bloom, so that seemed the right choice.

We have been recording the same patch for a few days now at lunch time. Almost every day we had temperatures above 13 degrees so we have been very lucky with the weather. We have collected some interesting data and we are getting better at identifying different groups. It’s a learning curve and I’m proud that Dylan remembers more than I do about what he has learned! 

We will try and record more than one patch a day once more plants come into flower in the next few weeks. Meanwhile we are learning something new every day and enjoying the sun in lockdown.

If you want to try doing a FIT Count of your own, visit the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme website or watch the recording of the webinar on YouTube. You can also find a list of online resources to help you with identifying and recording all kinds of plants and wildlife on the Get involved section of our website.

Article by Environmental Records Officer Claudia Bernardini. 

 

Some ideas for things to do at home now (August)

You can always submit your records of flora and fauna seen around Buckinghamshire to BMERC directly or through iRecord (either the website or download the app), but if you're looking for other ways to get involved from home, here are some suggestions:

• Plant Alert. Help other gardeners and protect the countryside by warning about invasive plants before they become a problem. You can learn more about the project through the FSC Biolinks blog or visit the Plant Alert website. https://plantalert.org/
  
  
• FIT Counts. This simple survey collects data on the total number of insects that visit a particular flower https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/pollinator-monitoring 
  
  
• Living with Mammals Survey. The People's Trust for Endangered Species are keen to gain more volunteers to monitoring local wildlife in gardens, parks and even streets https://ptes.org/get-involved/surveys/garden/living-with-mammals/
  
  
• Garden Butterfly Survey. Butterfly Conservation welcome you to record and report the butterflies that visit your garden over the course of a year https://gardenbutterflysurvey.org/index.php
  
  
• Natural History Live. Increase your knowledge of the natural world from home with these short natural history webinars offered by FSC Biolinks. https://www.field-studies-council.org/biolinks-courses/

Upcoming Conferences and Events

Chilterns Celebration

As part of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs project, a Chilterns Celebration will take place this October, visit the Chilterns AONB website for the full schedule of planned events ranging from walks to online workshops. Bookings are now open for one of the headline events, ‘Chilterns Champions: Outstanding in their fields’ conference on Saturday 24^th October. This event will be a celebration of Citizen Science across the Chilterns and beyond to say thanks to volunteers and spark an interest in a new generation. The keynote speaker will be Chris Packham CBE. Tickets are free but must be booked in advance on EventBrite.

The NBN at 20 – Changing times

This year’s NBN Conference is taking place as a fully online event on Wednesday, 18 November. It is being run in collaboration with iSpotNature, Faculty of STEM, The Open University. The conference will help mark the 20th anniversary of the NBN Trust. For information about the programme and how to purchase tickets, visit the NBN website.

National Forum for Biological Recording: Changing the focus - wildlife recording during lockdown

This year the National Forum for Biological Recording will be holding its annual conference as a free online event, taking place on Friday 23rd October, 10am - 12.45pm. The theme will be "Changing the focus - wildlife recording during lockdown." The conference will concentrate on some positive aspects of lockdown on wildlife recording, learning how individuals and organisations adapted in the changing circumstances. For more information, please visit the NFBR website.

International Day of Charity

Did you know 5^th September is the International Day of Charity? No? Neither did we until this week! The prime purpose of the day is to raise awareness and provide a common platform for charity related activities all over the world for individuals, charitable and volunteer organisations. It is perhaps a good opportunity to drop a little donation into your favourite charity and give them a boost in these unusual times when many of their normal fund-raising activities have been severely curtailed.

 

BMERC Announcements

We have a winner! BMERC is excited to announce that Harry Appleyard has won both the Wildlife and Landscape categories of our 2020 photo competition. His stunning images, Shepherd's Delight and Waxwing in Tattenhoe, were much commented on by all of the judges and the BMERC Team. Well done Harry!

We would also like to announce the inaugural issue of the BMERC Newsletter has been distributed, click here to download or view this issue. In this issue, you'll find Harry's winning photographs, as well as news and updates from the BMERC team.

If you would like to join our mailing list, please contact us.

Some ideas for things to do at home now - May 2020

• Every Flower Counts. A Plantlife project which runs from 23rd to 31st of May. Lawns provide vital nectar and pollen for pollinating insects when so many of their natural habitats have been lost or degraded. This study aims to find out how much resource for pollinators lies in lawns countrywide.  https://www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts/
  
  
• No Mow May, linked to Every Flower Counts above. Plantlife is urging more people to make their lawn more wildlife friendly and encourage plant species that are good for pollinators by taking part in No Mow May. It's easy – just don’t mow your lawn in May!  https://www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts/
  
  
• FIT (Flower Insect Timed Counts). If you can spare ten minutes to sit and watch insects and flowers you can carry out a FIT Count (Flower-Insect Timed Count). This simple survey collects data on the total number of insects that visit a particular flower, ideally chosen from their list of 14 target flowers. It can be done anywhere, including gardens and parks, in warm, dry weather from April to September (see Claudia's article below as well). https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/pollinator-monitoring 
  
  
• Living with Mammals Survey. Towns and cities are busy places but where most people encounter wildlife day to day, and it's known that the connection between wildlife and nature is very important to our health. The People's Trust for Endangered Species are keen to gain more volunteers to monitoring local wildlife in gardens, parks and even streets https://ptes.org/get-involved/surveys/garden/living-with-mammals/
  
  
• Garden Butterfly Survey. Butterfly Conservation welcome you to record and report the butterflies that visit your garden over the course of a year as part of the Garden Butterfly Survey. Create a free account, submit your sightings and help us learn more about how butterflies are faring in UK gardens.  https://gardenbutterflysurvey.org/index.php
  
  
• Bee-Fly watch. These distinctive furry flies are usually on the wing from March to June, often hovering over flowers and using their long 'nose' (proboscis) to feed on nectar. Once again, people are asked to look out for bee-flies and add your records to iRecord. https://www.brc.ac.uk/soldierflies-and-allies/bee-fly-watch  

 

Postponed: Connecting the Dots: Buckinghamshire Recorders' Seminar 2020

Due to the ongoing coronavirus issue we have had to make the extremely difficult decision to postpone the upcoming Recorders' Seminar, which was to take place this Saturday 14^th March. We plan to re-schedule this event for the autumn and we will provide an update when we have set a suitable date.

We apologise for the late cancellation but events regarding the virus are fast moving and ever changing, and we want to keep all our recorders healthy and safe.

 

COVID-19: BMERC is working

All the BMERC staff are now working from home. As far as we are able, we will continue to operate as normal.

Our Data Searches service is operational, but it may take a little longer than usual to respond.

If you need to Contact us, we are available via the usual email and phone (01296 382431). 

If you are spending a lot more time at home, why not take the opportunity to do some recording, but don't forget to send us your records!

Above all, please stay safe.

 

Mushroom Magic

A Report on the UK Fungus Day Event

If you go down to the woods today be in for a big surprise...

The surprise being that so far this year there have been very few fungi visible which is very unusual, is this global warming or something else?

Normally by this point the autumn, a careful walker would see everything from the familiar scarlet cloaked Fly Agaric much loved by reindeer to delicate bright bluey-green Elf Cups which have the ability to stain their preferred soggy deadwood habitat the most outlandish colour; an ability harnessed in the past by craftsmen for high value marquetry as well as many other uses.

Last weekend the annual local gala of fungi – “Mushroom Magic” – was held in partnership with the Buckinghamshire County Museum in Aylesbury.  A huge effort by Bucks Fungus Group volunteers and Museum staff brought this popular public event together. No easy task given how hard it is this year to find anything interesting to look at, let alone the huge array of weird and wonderful fruit bodies on display, along with microscope views of fungi, spore prints, activities for children and much, much more.

BMERC staff joined in with the fun, answering general queries and we even got to do some colouring in and modelling of all manner of lifelike (and some rather creative) renditions of mushrooms with children and their parents.  At one point of the day the key entertainment appeared to be some sort of larvae, presumed to be fly larvae, hatching out from a very mature bracket fungus and literally catapulting themselves across the room totally unexpectedly.

For anyone who missed the event or would like to find out more about the hidden world of fungi the Bucks Fungus Group an excellent programme of walks and forays this autumn and winter. More information of events to come can be found on their website: http://www.bucksfungusgroup.org.uk/events.html

Article by Julia Carey.

 

BMERC Data Searches:

Notice of a completely new service and price changes, effective 5^th August 2019

BMERC is making major changes to provide you with a new, faster and online data searches service.    

What’s new?

From Monday 5^th August 2019 you will be able to specify and retrieve your search online.   This will give you the benefits of:

• Simple selection of the search area from online menus and maps.
• A small number of standard packages and optional extras
• Immediate quotation and submission of your order
• Results guaranteed within one working day, and often within 2 hours.
• Immediate invoicing with results
• Results provided via a link to an online mapping tool which allows results to displayed, filtered, downloaded and printed.  The link to the search results is available for six months. 
• Results can be downloaded and printed in two versions:
• Confidential  - for your own use and analysis to derive data for external reports
• Public - can be shared with others

What’s available and what will it cost?

The standard packages on offer are:

• Package A: Standard 1km search, including sites, species and habitats               from £130+VAT
• Package B: Standard 2km search, including sites, species and habitats               from £180+VAT
• Package C: Parish Boundary Search (Parish Councils only)                                             £50+VAT

An additional species or group (e.g. bats) at a larger search radius can be added to these packages. Prices for these additions are from £30 + VAT.

Polygon or linear searches will increase the cost, as charges vary according to the total area searched.

Requesting data outside standard packages will require a Custom Search. These will be quoted separately and may be provided in a different format and within a different timescale than the Standard Packages.

We understand this is another price increase, but we believe that that improved service, particularly the quick turnaround time, compares favourably with other providers. 

What do I need to do?

From 5^th August, visit the BMERC home page and follow the link for Data Searches, any searches already in the system will be dealt with in the normal way.    

Please let us know what you think when you have used the new service.

We would love to hear what you think of the new service, and if you have any questions or feedback.  Please contact us at erc@buckinghamshire.gov.uk