The Great CNHS Spring Garden Survey

As many of us will be spending more time at home than usual for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic, the CNHS committee thought we could use the opportunity to find out much more about the value of our gardens as refuges for wildlife. The information we put together could be published (for example in Nature in North-East Essex – but still join in if you live in Suffolk!). The idea is to list the species (wild flowers, mosses, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies, moths, bees, hoverflies, dragonflies, etc) that you see in (or from) your garden, and add any notes of interest. If you do not have a garden, use a local open space if you can do so while obeying current distancing rules. Some people might have time to keep a daily diary, but a weekly total would be enough. We are interested in the house sparrows and cabbage whites as much as anything more unusual. Use CNHS recorders (links in the menu on this website), facebook members, literature or internet to help with identifications. Submit photos if unsure.  What follows is a specimen report form. You could use it to send the results of your survey to Ted Benton uding the email GardenSurvey@cnhs.uk. Send your report at the end of April, end of May, end of June……. 1. Details of the garden (approx. size, layout: trees, shrubs, grass/ lawn, flower beds, paths etc.) Do you have a pond, feed birds, have a bug hotel, etc?). Map reference to 1km square or address. 2. Surrounding area. Rural, urban, suburban? Nature of neighbouring gardens? Closest green space? 3. Species seen. List name of species, and any notes: is there a breeding population, or just a ‘visitor’? If the latter, what resource is it getting (eg materials for making a nest)? How many of them did you see (over a given period of time)? what were the first and last dates seen? Weather conditions?