Get Involved

There are many opportunities to get involved with species recording both locally, here on the Island and nationally in wider campaigns

Species of the Month (iWatchWildlife)
We run a programme of selected a species most months that we’d like to know more about to boost our current, local records. We ask users on Social Media to share their observations. We then capture those observations and convert them into permanent species records.

We welcome all species records at any time of year. You can download a basic wildlife form below to get you started. If you need any help with ID, we can help or put you in touch with a local expert.

We also feature one species as our ‘Species of the Year and for 2022 it’s the Two-spot Ladybird, find out more below…

Follow us on Facebook @iWatchWildlife and Instagram #iWatchWildlife

Downloadable basic wildlife recording form

‘Species of the Month’ – March to December 2023

March – Brown Hare  /  April –  Adder  /  May – Hedgehogs  /  June – Stag Beetle  /  July – Swifts in flight  /  August – Tiger Moths /  September – Barn Owl / October – Curlew / November – Wax Caps / December – Mistletoe

Hare (Nick Edwards) – Adder (Mike Cotterill) – Hedgehog (Graham Hendy) – Stag Beetles (PTES) – Tiger Moths (IWNHAS) – Swifts (Robin Pascal & Nick Edwards)
– Barn Owl (Danny Vokins) – Wax Caps (IWNHAS) – Curlew (Jim Baldwin)

Species of the Year  2023 – kingfisher

Unmistakable and arguably one of our most stunning birds

Most of us are just grateful for a dazzling, metallic turquoise and orangey blast as a Kingfisher darts by, but sometimes you may be able to spot them perching patiently on a low branch or post, waiting for the next meal to swim by.

They can be seen throughout the year inhabiting slow moving or still water, however our local Kingfishers tend to decamp to the mainland in Summer months to breed.

Please do let us know if you spot any this year with the date and location – a picture would be wonderful, but perhaps not always possible!

Kingfisher (female) by Andy Butler

Other ways to get involved with wildlife recording

If you enjoy using Social Media, then Facebook is a good place to start. There are a number of local general wildlife groups which are a fantastic resource for getting to know local species and what’s about when. They can help put you in touch with experts if you need help with identification (though pictures are essential).

Isle of Wight Nature
Isle of Wight Flora and Fauna
Island Insects
IOW Dragonflies and Damselflies
Isle of Wight Birding
Isle of Wight Butterflies and Moths
Isle of Wight Bat Group
Isle of Wight Fungi
Wight Swifts

Here are links to other local surveys that you may wish to get involved with:

Red Squirrel sightings (Wight Squirrels)

Bird Recording (British Trust for Ornithology) – there are many bird surveys including Wetland, Farmland and Garden birds run by the BTO that need your help. For further info, contact our BTO IW Representative Jim Baldwin on [email protected]

*Hants & IW Amphibian Survey – Hampshire Amphibian and Reptile Recording Network (HARRN) is producing a new atlas mapping out species across our two counties, and would really appreciate your records.

The Great Egg Case Hunt – You can become a citizen scientist by helping find and record shark eggcases.

Spot a Tiger – share your observations of Tiger Moths with us / [email protected]

Seagrass Spotter – a downloadable app where you can become a citizen scientist contributing to marine conservation with just a few taps of your phone.

* if submitting your observations to a regional or national survey, please make sure you also send your records to our local recorders to ensure your records are also captured locally in the Isle of Wight Species Database.