Why we record certain species

In order to make sure our records are comparable and consistent you can only record events that occur in specific species.

The list of species was selected using the following criteria:

• Recorded extensively in the past
• Responds strongly to changes in seasonal temperatures
• Common across the UK
• Widely-recognised and well-loved
• Found in both rural and urban situations

There is a dearth of autumn records, since most early phenologists tended to focus on spring events, so this is an area where future data collection will be especially important.

Take a look at the full list of species and events that you can record.