Wildlife spotted during survey (UK)
This parameter is part of the newly defined UK National Protocol as part of CaSTCo. This description is preliminary and will be updated shortly.
Rivers and their banks can be vital habitats and corridors for a wide variety of wildlife. There are some easily identifiable species that are helpful indicators of a healthy ecosystem. E.g. the presence of kingfishers or herons indicates that there are fish; grey wagtails or dippers can indicate a healthy population of aquatic invertebrates.
Taking some time to quietly observe the survey site before or after your survey activities will improve your chances of spotting wildlife that frequents the area.
Only record the animals that you observe at the survey site, during the survey visit. It is a good idea to try and carry out surveys at different times of the day throughout the year. Try adding some surveys close to dawn or dusk in the summer months to increase the likelihood that you will see bats, otters or water voles.
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have some helpful ID sheets for all of our bird species. See links below: