Season Watch

Season Watch  gives nature enthusiasts the opportunity to become outdoor detectives.  The main aim is to pick up clues about the changing seasons and use this to look at climatic change and changes in wildlife seen locally.

The seasons are always changing and if we look close enough nature gives us "signs of the times".  Events such as migration and flowering are examples of wildlife responses that occur due to seasonal changes.  Leaves bursting, and birds nesting for example tell us that Spring has arrived, whilst berries ripening and leaves falling are clues that the Summer has gone and Autumn is here.

While these events occur at around the same time each year, their precise timing varies from year to year.  Keeping a record of these observations every year may reveal a pattern about how these seasonal changes affect the plants and animals around us.

Making these observations of “seasonal timing-events” is what phenology is all about. Combining together the records of seasonal changes can provide valuable information about the natural world around us.

Season Watch simply requires individuals to write down when they notice the first bud opening or the first appearance of certain flowers during Springtime in their local area.  Observations can be from your own back garden or a nearby park or woodland.  The records from different areas can then be collected together.

Watching for changes every year can be a fun way to tune into the world around you. It can be both entertaining and educational for young and old alike.  Botanists, bird watchers, gardeners, horticulturists, wildlife researchers, photographers and outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds can find subjects that suit their interests.

For example, knowing seasonal information, such as timing of spring flowering helps decision-making for farmers and foresters i.e. to correctly time operations such as planting, fertilising, crop protection and to predict harvest timing.  It also is useful in wildlife management (e.g. the survival of deer fawns is greater in years with early spring arrival); human health (pollen-warnings for allergy-sufferers), and tourism (best times to photograph flowers or animals, or to go fly-fishing).

By participating, you are doing more than just enjoying a new appreciation for the sights of nature occurring around you.  You get to learn about the natural environment and biodiversity.  Understanding how and when plants and animals respond to normal seasonal changes will also give good clues to their responses to climatic changes, such as global warming.

The Season Watch pack includes introductory booklets for spring and autumn sightings and is packed full of background information. It also includes ID sheets and recording forms (all guidance is provided). You can download the documents as PDFs using the links below, or alternatively, packs are available from the contact details on the left.

Information Booklets: Introduction   Plants   Trees   Birds, Butterflies & Moths   Insects & Amphibians   Autumn Season Watch
Recording Forms: Plants   Trees   Birds   Butterflies & Moths   Insects & Amphibians   Autumn Season Watch
Identification Sheets: Plants   Trees   Birds   Butterflies   Insects & Amphibians

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