We take part in the RSPB’s annual Big Garden Bird Watch in January – our previous sightings have included goldfinch, greenfinch, nuthatch and greater spotted woodpecker.
We take part in the Churches Count on Nature week in June, which is a joint initiative promoted by Caring for God’s Acre, The Church of England, the Church in Wales and A Rocha UK. This is a citizen science event to enjoy and record what plants and wildlife are to be found in church grounds around the country.
We also take part in The Butterfly Conservation’s annual Big Butterfly Count which is a UK wide survey that takes place from mid-July to the beginning of August. The count can be done in any outside space. This year we spotted quite an array of species on the Orchard, including red admiral, painted lady, speckled wood, common blue, meadow brown, gatekeeper and Jersey tiger moth.
New for 2026 are Flower-Insect Timed Counts. This is a survey run by the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme and involves spending ten minutes at a time during good weather between April and September watching a target flower to see what insects visit. Each count helps to make the data more meaningful. You can get involved in these counts too - using your garden, park or any outside space.
