Phenological Reports

Phenology

Phenology is the study of seasonal changes in animals and plants e.g. the first and last blooming dates of wild flowers, the first and last dates for migratory birds.

BNA issues an annual sheet requesting phenological records of 55 species concentrating on common flowers, birds, mammals, amphibians and insects, especially butterflies and moths. Species include common frog, swifts, cuckoo, coltsfoot and hedgehog. Contributors are not expected to cover all species within their 10 mile locality area.

The phenological report is made available each year by BNA in one of its publications. This includes a summary of the data on the selected species and a concise month by month description of the overall seasonal changes including the influence of weather and special features for the year.

Phenological data was pioneered in the journals of the Reverend Gilbert White and remained popular during the nineteenth century. BNA has continued the tradition for the twentieth century. As we are entering a period of considerable climatic change and are looking to evidence of plant and animal life, the BNA phenological report, as a long term study, helps to monitor change.

Global warming is a current event very much in the minds of scientists, economists, naturalists etc. and there are two schools of thought:

a) it will happen and
b) it will not be more than a short term warming as happens from time to time.

Phenology: a comparative countryside calendar - Notes on Comparisons and Changing Times

Phenological report recording form - If you live in the UK and would like to take part this year, please print off this form, add your own details and send it, with your records, to the organiser Michael Wallis, c/o BNA, PO Box 5682, Corby, Northants NN17 2ZW.

The results of phenological survey 2003

News headlines:

2005 conference topic is Phenology
Access other useful phenological resources here
UK Phenology network
BBC springwatch