2025 has been another very busy and eventful year for BBOWT’s Reserves Surveying Programme. Once again, this year has confirmed the importance of our nature reserves in our efforts to help nature’s recovery, as well as highlighting the fantastic help of our volunteer surveyors. 

An army of 137 volunteer surveyors helped undertake 283 planned priority surveys on 72 of our nature reserves this spring and summer. The data collected will continue to help inform our habitat management work as well as contribute to regional and national recording schemes. 

Without the help of our surveyors, we would have far less knowledge of the wildlife and key species present on our reserves and how their populations are changing over time, or of the condition of the key habitats, on which they rely. 

We undertook 39 butterfly transects, 36 bird transects, 10 dragonfly transects, and 60 habitat condition assessments, as well as many other surveys and monitoring projects, including dormouse box checks, orchid counts, groundwater level measuring, newt bottle-trapping, reptile refugia checks, bat monitoring etc!

Below are just some of the highlights from this year. They are testament to the immense work of our nature reserve volunteers and work parties, wildlife trainees and staff. 

There were several noteworthy breeding bird records on our reserves. Early in spring, diligent monitoring by volunteers at Chimney Meadows confirmed a pair of common cranes attempted to nest within the vast sedge bed on the National Nature Reserve (NNR). This represents the first ever breeding record by the species on our reserves. Alas the breeding attempt failed, suspected to be due to fox predation at the egg stage. The hope is the same pair will try again next year and with more success.

Later in the year, a family party of three hawfinch were discovered regularly visiting the drinking pool in front of the Warburg Nature Reserve woodland hide. The antics of the two adults and recently fledged juvenile were enjoyed by many visiting birdwatchers and wildlife photographers. It is suspected they bred on the reserve. The large expanse of undisturbed and mature woodland in the immediate vicinity obviously proved attractive to this very shy and scarce species.

Other notable breeding bird records this year included two pairs of Dartford warbler (young seen) at Decoy Heath, singing corn bunting (later seen carrying food) at Gallows Bridge Farm on the Upper Ray Meadows and an encouraging six-plus singing nightingales at Hosehill Lake. 

During the year we received news from the Bucks Fungus Group of yet another exciting fungus they had found on one of our reserves. The fungus was actually first found at Dancersend in October 2022 but its identity has only just been confirmed. On 12 October 2022, a specimen was collected of a distinctive but unidentified fungus which was fruiting in good numbers around a fallen rotting wild cherry tree trunk. The specimen was eventually sequenced and its identity confirmed by Paul Cannon (the former ascomycete expert at RBG Kew) as Aurantiolachnea solsequia. This represents the first record of the species in the UK. 

A survey of the Duxford fish bypass channel at Chimney Meadows recorded a total of 10 species of fish, which is an excellent result for a lowland river of this type and especially for one which was only created a few years ago. 

The total density of fish recorded was exceptional and reflects the site’s success as a spawning and nursery channel; in addition to its primary function as a fish bypass channel. The 10 species recorded were – barbel, chub, dace, bleak, gudgeon, roach, perch, stoneloach, minnow and bullhead.

In September, Dr Amanda Lloyd from the local mammal group and willing volunteers undertook the annual search for harvest mouse nests at Chimney Meadows. The two rough field margins usually surveyed were in very poor condition due to prolonged flooding in recent years so only two nests were found. However, searching of a small patch of reed on the NNR discovered a further eight nests. This was an area which had not previously been surveyed. Amanda’s long-term monitoring of harvest mice at Chimney Meadows is helping ecologists better understand the life cycle and habitat requirements of this elusive and charismatic mammal species.

Also in September, several hazel dormice, including young, were discovered in monitoring boxes at Moor Copse. They were the first dormice recorded in boxes on the reserve since 2016. The dormice were in boxes in an area of the reserve not previously monitored. This is encouraging news for a species which has experienced further sharp national declines in recent years. Between 2000 and 2022, the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme recorded a 70% population decline.

As a keen birder I am always intrigued to hear of unexpected scarce or rare birds spotted on our reserves. This year was notable for a number of southern and eastern European species arriving in the UK in unprecedented numbers and thankfully our reserves were able to share in these avian influxes.

In May, there was an impressive national arrival of red-footed falcons; and a female was found hunting aerial insects with a flock of hobbies over the fish bypass channel at Duxford Old River. Later in the year, in September, there was a record national influx of glossy ibis. Volunteer surveyors spotted birds at both Hosehill Lake and College Lake. As our summers continue to heat up, both species are likely to become more regular in the UK and perhaps one day will breed on our reserves. Watch this space?! The presence of a flock of 50 cattle egret at Chimney Meadows in spring would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. 

Last year we reported on the increasing number of records of willow emerald damselfly on our reserves and how this was attributed to climate change. Another species of odonata to have expanded its range in recent years due to climate change is the Norfolk hawker dragonfly and it was recorded for the first time on our reserves at College Lake in early May. This was a species previously restricted to East Anglia but has been slowly expanding its range west and north. 

After the disastrous year for butterflies in 2024, it is heartwarming to report 2025 was much improved. Clearly, the prolonged warmth and sunshine in both spring and summer benefitted many of our butterflies. However, we must be careful of the ‘shifting baselines’ concept. Rather than just comparing this year’s butterfly season with 2024, we must look at the long-term trends and unfortunately many species are still in serious decline. It is pleasing to report several of our reserves recorded new butterfly species this year. Green hairstreak was spotted at Glyme Valley for the first time and brown hairstreak continues to expand its range with one recorded at Wells Farm for the first time.

This year’s drought had a significant impact on several of our rarer plants. The annual census of monkey orchids at Hartslock recorded very low numbers and those that emerged were very small in size. Only 16 pale dog violets were recorded at a very parched Inkpen Common. Violet numbers were also very low in 2024 but in complete contrast to this year, that was due to prolonged flooding on the reserve. It is clear many of our rare plant species as well as other wildlife will need to quickly adapt to the increasing frequency of severe weather events linked to climate change.

At this time of year, we are busy processing all of this year’s survey data. Our Ecology Wildlife Trainees, Helen and Claire, as well as our office volunteers Bob and Mike, are inputting the data into various spreadsheets, access databases and online recording platforms, ready for analysis. 

In January we will feedback the results to the various BBOWT Land Management Teams (in order to evaluate and then plan reserve management activities), as well as provide our data to several ongoing external recording schemes such as the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species’ National Dormouse Monitoring Programme.

Four surveyors completed their 10^th year of volunteering for the Reserves Surveying Programme this year. Since the programme started: 92 surveyors have completed 10 years, and a further 15 surveyors have now been volunteering for an incredible 20 years or more! 

At this year’s Celebration of BBOWT day, it was great to announce BBOWT’s Rapid Assessment surveyors were runners-up in the volunteer group category. These fantastic volunteers have contributed to the Reserves Surveying Programme for many years as well as to many other areas of BBOWT’s diverse work.

It won’t be long before planning begins for the 2026 survey season!