Nature Archives - James Common

The Best Plant App for Beginner Botanists: Comprehensive Edition

With so many plant ID apps available, it can be hard to know where to turn when trying to identify that pesky plant. Here, we set out to discover which plant app truly stands out as the best choice for beginner botanists

Though it may beggar belief, a post I shared here on Common By Nature comparing the best plant ID apps for beginner botanists, has become my most-viewed article to date, racking up over 25,000 views since 2022. Clearly, this is a popular topic, and more and more people are turning to plant identification apps to help identify their botanical finds. With that in mind, I thought it was time to revisit the topic three years on.

As I said back then, plant ID apps are a contentious subject among many botanists. Some dismiss them outright, claiming they’re unreliable and detract from what purists might call “proper” botany. Others take a more open-minded approach and, even among relative experts, treat plant ID apps as just another tool in their botanical toolkit, much like a hand lens or a wildflower guide.

Wherever you stand on the issue, it is clear that plant apps are here to stay. Thanks to advances in image recognition and Artificial Intelligence (AI), these apps are becoming more accurate, more sophisticated, and increasingly useful for enthusiastic amateurs and budding botanists alike. Not only to help identify unfamiliar plants but also as a means by which to deepen their interest and engagement with the natural world.

Of the many plant ID apps available, a few names crop up again and again. Most people will have heard of PlantNet, Seek, or Google Lens. Others, like Flora Incognita, are a little less well known, but all aim to do the same thing. The question is: are any of them truly a cut above the rest when it comes to plant identification?

Inspired by the ongoing interest in my original post, I decided to return to the subject three years later to find out what the best plant app is today.

Once again, some ground rules

Just like last time, and to standardise our little plant app experiment, I’ve introduced a few rules to keep things fair:

One image only. While some apps allow for multiple images, we wouldn’t want to give any one of them an unfair advantage, would we?
Quality images. We’ll only use clear photos showing enough of the plant to reach an accurate identification.
British plants. I’ve chosen species that are commonly found in Britain, making the test more relevant to British botanists. That said, the odd non-native or garden escapee might sneak in too, just to keep things interesting.

A small change

This time, I thought I’d make things a bit more challenging for our candidate plant apps by including several trickier groups of plants. Whereas last time we focused mainly on flowering species, this round will feature grasses, ferns, and even a sedge. That should really test their mettle…

On reflection, I’ve also decided to drop the “leaves only” rule. Realistically, most people are going to be using plant apps to identify flowers, so it makes sense to reflect that in the test. We’ll also be testing three more identification apps not covered in my last post.

Meet the subjects

I’ve selected the ten plants below based on their varying levels of difficulty. Some, like Herb-paris and Caper Spurge, should be relatively straightforward for the apps to identify. Others — Sea Spleenwort, for instance — may prove more of a challenge. The inclusion of Mountain Melic is admittedly a bit mean, given the lack of clear identification features, but hey, this is my blog, and we’re here to really put these plant apps to the test, aren’t we?

**Garden Privet**
*Ligustrum ovalifolium*

Plant app comparison

For comparison’s sake, we’ll stick with a similar scoring system to the one used in the previous post. Any plant app that correctly identifies the plant as their first choice will receive 1 point. If the correct plant appears lower down the list, points will be deducted based on its position. For example, if Oxford Ragwort comes as the fourth suggestion, it would earn 0.6 points. I may also award bonus points in certain cases if an app manages to genuinely impress me.

	Garden Privet Ligustrum ovalifolium	Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis	Oxford Ragwort Senecio squalidus	Mountain Melic Melica nutans	Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum	Herb-paris Paris quadrifolia	Remote Sedge Carex remota	Dog-violet Viola riviniana	Caper Spurge Euphorbia lathyris	Chickweed- wintergreen Lysimachia europaea	Score (0-10)
PlantNet	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 0.7	✔ 1	✔ 1	9.7/10
PlantSnap	✖	✖	✖	✖ 0.1 (it did get Melica)	✖	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	0.1/10 (Stopped counting)
Picture This	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✖	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	9/10
LeafSnap	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 0.9	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	9.9/10
Seek	✔ 1	✔ 1	✖	✔ 1	✖0.1 (Spleenwort, at least)	✔ 1	✖0.1 (It did get sedge)	✖	✔ 1	✔ 1	6.2/10
GoogleLens	✖ 0.5 (Points for privet)	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✖	✔ 1	✖	✖0.1 (for violet	✔ 1	✔ 1	6.7/10
FloraIncognita	✔ 0.9	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✖	✔ 1	✔ 1	8.9/10
Obsidentify	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 0.9	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	9.9/10

And there we have it, gang — a winner! Well, two actually, and only just by the skin of their teeth. In our little test, ObsIdentify and Leafsnap came out on top, closely followed by PlantNet, with PictureThis a smidgen behind. We’ll take a closer look at those top performers shortly, but first, let’s talk about the plant apps you might want to avoid…

The Losers

If you’re looking for an accurate plant app, best give these ones a miss. Particularly the first…

PlantSnap (0.1/10)

So bad I gave up…

PlantSnap struggled at nearly every turn, misidentifying four out of five plants and earning only a fractional bonus point for narrowing down Mountain Melic to the correct genus. Even more frustrating is its restrictive usage model — users are granted only a handful of free identifications before being hit with a 12-hour delay, clearly designed to push non-subscribers toward paying. Based on what I’ve seen, paying for this app would be, frankly, a waste of money.

PlantSnap performed poorly in our first test back in 2022, and despite the time that’s passed, it’s obvious little has improved. My advice? Avoid this one at all costs.

Seek (6.2/10)

iNaturalist is improving, but not enough…

The last time we tested Seek, it performed abysmally and earned a rather negative review. I’m pleased to report that the app has shown some improvement. By correctly identifying six species — including both a grass and a fern — it managed to impress me to some degree.

That said, it’s still not quite strong enough for me to recommend it as a go-to plant ID tool. There are certainly better options available. Seek failed outright on Oxford Ragwort and Dog-violet, two fairly common species, and struggled with the sedge and one of the trickier ferns.

Given iNaturalist’s popularity among biological recorders, you’d hope Seek would perform better. For now, it still falls short of the mark.

Google Lens (6.7/10)

Meh, should do better with all that funding…

Google Lens is an immensely popular app, built into many smartphones by default. It has a wide range of uses — and performs well in many of them — but when it comes to plant identification, it falls slightly short of the mark.

Once again, it struggled with sedges and ferns, performed poorly on Dog-violet, and, somewhat surprisingly, failed to correctly identify Privet. Given the vast resources behind it, I expected better. While it’s certainly not the worst option out there, I still wouldn’t recommend it if you’re looking to accurately identify botanical finds.

In short, it’s far from the best plant ID app available.

Better Choices

Flora Incognita (8.9/10)

The worst of the good apps, but only just…

I had never used Flora Incognita before and didn’t include it in the last test, so I was genuinely excited to give it a try this time around. Truth be told, it performed quite well — just fractionally behind the top-performing apps — and deserves credit for correctly identifying both Sea Spleenwort and Remote Sedge, two species that tripped up several of the less accurate contenders. The only plant it really struggled with was, once again, the Dog-violet.

One particularly nice feature of Flora Incognita is that it allows users to make an initial classification (e.g. herb, shrub, grass, or fern) to help narrow down the search. It also supports multiple photo uploads, which I didn’t take advantage of this time but suspect could have improved the results. Another welcome touch is the inclusion of a confidence level with each ID suggestion — a small detail that adds transparency to the process.

All in all, this is a relatively strong choice for plant identification, and one I’d be happy to use again.

PictureThis (9/10)

Getting better all the time, and very nearly perfect…

PictureThis impressed me this time around, I must say. With the exception of Remote Sedge, it correctly identified all the plants down to species level with relative ease. The app is sleek, user-friendly, and offers a generally smooth experience. Its plant health assessment feature might not be of much interest to botanists, but it could be a welcome bonus for gardeners.

For those who enjoy background detail, PictureThis provides a wealth of information covering everything from characteristics and symbolism to pests, diseases, and garden uses. As I noted back in 2022, it remains a comprehensive and reliable option, and overall, a good, safe bet for botanists.

The Winners

If you are looking for an accurate, reliable plant app to help you on your botanical excursions, I’d choose from these…

PlantNet (9.7/10)

An old favourite performs well yet again…

When I last reviewed PlantNet, I admitted to being a fan, both for its plant identification capabilities and for its useful option to search by regional floras. This feature allows users to narrow their search to a specific geographical area, helping rule out, for example, North American species when the record is actually from the UK or Greece. It performed well in the previous test, but did even better this time, correctly identifying all but one plant to species level. The only slight miss was with the Dog-violet, which it listed as the third option, behind a couple of admittedly similar species.

Once again, this app comes highly recommended. Like all plant ID apps, it shouldn’t be relied on with absolute certainty, but it remains a valuable tool in any botanist’s arsenal.

LeafSnap (9.9/10)

One of the best botanical apps out there…

LeafSnap does it again, finishing ahead of the competition in joint first place! This result echoes what we found in 2022, when the app narrowly beat out contenders like PlantNet and Seek with a respectable 5 out of 6. This time, it performed even better by correctly identifying all the plants to species level, with the exception of Sea Spleenwort, which it listed as a very respectable second option.

If I have one minor complaint, it’s that the in-app prompts and ads seem to have become more frequent since my last test. That said, they’re easy enough to navigate and, in the grand scheme of things, a small price to pay for this level of accuracy.

LeafSnap remains a strong recommendation from me. It boasts all the features you’d want in a reliable plant app.

Obsidentify (9.9/10)

I didn’t include ObsIdentify back in 2022, but I really wish I had. This is a downright impressive app that matched LeafSnap on the scorecard, receiving only a minor deduction for Remote Sedge which it listed as a second choice. It might well have nailed it with a better photo — but let’s be honest, shoddy images are part and parcel of real-world use. In truth, I can’t fault this app on design, ease of use, or accuracy.

What sets ObsIdentify apart from the competition is that, while it’s a reliable choice for plant identification, it also covers all taxa. That means it works just as well for moths, hoverflies and other wildlife groups. The only area where it still struggles is fungi, but to be fair, most fungi can’t be confidently identified from a photo alone.

If you’re looking to streamline the number of apps on your phone, this is the one I’d recommend. Not only will it help with those pesky plants, but you might also find yourself getting hooked on identifying other species too. For beginners especially, it could become a trusty companion.

Bravo, ObsIdentify, bravo!

Exploring North East Nature in 2024

It has become a bit of a tradition on this blog to share a round-up of the previous year’s highlights, discoveries and memorable moments. Indeed, it is always nice to look back and reflect, and nicer still to revisit similar posts from 2015 onwards (even if I do cringe a bit at my writing back then). As 2024 draws to a close, lets go again with some highlights of the past 12 months, both here on Common by Nature and across the wider North East.

As ever, a massive thank you to the friends, colleagues, naturalists and likeminded locals who have helped make 2024 another enjoyable and productive year. The natural history community is a thing of beauty and I am so very grateful for the advice, support and nuggets of wisdom offered once again!

Recording the Urban Flora

This one won’t surprise you – I’ve harped on about urban plants several times on this blog in 2024 [try here and here]. As many of you know, the vast majority of my time outside of work this year has been spend recording and writing an Urban Flora for Newcastle and North Tyneside – something I hope to finally bring to fruition in 2025.

This year alone, I have visited over 100 monads in the city, logged some 17,000 plant records and noted no less than 800 species growing in a wild and naturalised state among the terraces, alleyways and brownfield plots of Tyneside. Still, after several years of recording, it never ceases to amaze me just how diverse our cities actually are. From relic native plants such as Lesser Water-parsnip thriving in an urban burn and Autumn Gentian colonising a former spoil heap to hardy invaders, there is ever so much to see. Indeed, the total count for the survey area now stands at 1,020 species – that’s a fair chunk of the British flora!

A project like this would not be possible without the support of others so a huge thank you to everyone who has shared a record on iRecord this year. Particularly to Chris Barlow and James Bowyer for their helpful surveys.

Japanese Honeysuckle (*Lonicera japonica*)

Special Places

The same places crop up time and time again in these roundups; though that is not necessarily a bad thing. We all have our favourites and for me, 2024 provided opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of the the two that matter most to me: Lindisfarne and Upper Teesdale.

I have visited Lindisfarne on no less than seven occasions this year, alone, with friends, with groups, you name it. Still, there has been an awful lot of of new spectacles to enjoy. Inspired by the Metherell’s superb book, Small Adder’s-tongue (Ophioglossum azoricum) finally revealed itself and at last, I made time to seek out the vice-county’s only example of Common Sea-lavender (Limonium vulgare). Add to that my first encounter with the island’s Coralroot Orchids (Corallorhiza trifida) and record counts of Frog Orchid (Dactylorhiza viridis) and you have the makings of a very happy botanist.

Teesdale too has been a enjoy, with careful scouring finally revealing Moonwort (Botrychium lunaria) and Shady Horsetail (Equisetum pratense). Of course, fantastic displays of Spring Gentians (Gentiana verna) were not to be scoffed at too.

Away from these places, there have been exciting excursions to Hadrian’s Wall in search of Waxcaps, Hareshaw Linn for ferns, and many, many more wonderful outings. I have been spoiled.

Fantastic people and Events

If there is one part of my ‘day job’ I love best, it is the opportunity to get out and about sharing natural history with others. This year, I have had the pleasure of leading some 80 sessions across the North East, visiting some wonderful places with many inspiring people.

The highlight this year has definitely been the education courses, including my new ‘Botanist’s Year’ programme delivered for NHSN which saw almost 20 visits to botanical hotspots across the region and covered everything from snowdrops and cotoneasters to willowherbs and pesky yellow composites. I am not sure about the attendees, but I had a blast. Add to this our 200 Plants and Counting Course, returning Urban Botany course and standalone sessions on grasses, trees and even a few insects, and 2024 has been a pretty productive year. I definitely feel more confident in this regard – had you known me a few years past, you would know this hasn’t always been the case.

Closer to home, NHSN’s super Gosforth’s Wild Web project has meant plenty of walks, talks and ID sessions in urban parts of Newcastle. I’ve particularly enjoyed spending time with the Friends of Hebburn Riverside Park and several bioblitzes held in Newcastle’s city parks. Truly, there is no such thing as a dull day at the office…

The BSBI New Year Plant Hunt back in January

interesting Plants

As you might expect, most of this year’s interesting discoveries have taken place in and around the city. Still, there have been several and some of them at least were rather notable. Rummaging this year has revealed a good few ‘county firsts’ in the form of Egyptian Clover (Trifolium alexandrinum), Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), Chia (Salvia hispanica), Lawn Lobelia (Pratia angulata), False Buck’s-beard (Astilbe japonica) and several more.

Away from the dodgy aliens, it was exciting to note Lesser Water-parsnip (Berula erecta) at Seaton Burn, a plant once thought extinct in VC67, and new populations of Rare Plant Register and local scarcities such as Autumn Gentian (Gentianella amarella), Common Wintergreen (Pyrola minor), and Rustyback (Asplenium ceterach).

All of this goes without mentioning the botanical ‘twitches’ that have taken place in 2024. Especially memorable are encounters with Lady Claremont’s Spleenwort (Asplenium x clermontiae) and Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort (Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis) but there have been many.

Rediscovering this Blog

This blog has changed much since it launched in 2011. Where once it was a journal of sorts it has now become a repository for any random thought that pops into my head – identification sheets, project updates, trip reports, exciting finds, you name it. My writing here had waned somewhat over recent years but this year, it seems to have made somewhat of a resurgence. Mainly because a good few people keep reading it!

Though it beggars belief, this year, Common By Nature has been visited some 42,000 times (a 200% increase on last year) by around 34,000 individual visitors. While it is true that I have put a little more effort in, I am not entirely sure what has caused this. I still giggle that a post I published in 2022 on ‘The Best Plant ID Apps‘ continues to draw in around 100 readers per day.

I guess what I am trying to say is thank you for reading!

The Best Plant App for Beginner Botanists: Comprehensive EditionMay 15, 2025James Common

Comparing Insect ID Apps for Budding EntomologistsNovember 3, 2024James Common

A Quick Guide to Black LadybirdsJuly 31, 2022James Common

Down the Rabbit Hole

As someone with ASD, I confess that I am prone to heading down rabbit holes from time to time. Usually, these forays last for a few weeks before dissipating, never to emerge again. Recently however, a few of these deep dives appear to be sticking and may even become a key focus in the future.

On a light note, one of these ‘fads’ seems to have become snowdrops! Besides an obligatory glance each spring, these plants seldom got a look in before but now, seem to have become somewhat of a seasonal obsession. So much so that our tiny yarden in Heaton is now home over a dozen species and several more cultivars won in hard fought eBay auctions. This has since resulted in a great many hours spent combing the wider countryside in search of new or unrecorded species and in some cases, unique varieties. Just look at the wonderful yellow one below…

On a more serious [and far more stressful] note, I seem to have also stuck with Cotoneasters. Why, I am not sure, likely my husband would prefer it if I hadn’t given how many weekends this year have been spent searching for and identifying them – sometimes successfully. Regardless, I do love them and recently shared a concise atlas for the species found growing wild on Tyneside.

Rumour has it I’ll also be talking about them to BSBI members in a few months time…

Hollyberry Cotoneaster (*Cotoneaster bullatus*)

Looking Ahead

It is always nice to set a few resolutions for the New Year, and to publish them here so i can be held accountable when inevitably, some of them fail to come to fruition. That said, in 2025 I do have a few aspirations…

Finish the urban flora! With around 50 ‘top up’ surveys still to complete, much of next year will be spent exploring our urban plants. I do, however, hope to wrap up the project in 2025, finish writing and hopefully, find a publisher willing to print such a thing. If any readers have any ideas in this regard, I’d love to hear from you…
More, more, more! I’ve already mentioned how much I love getting out there [in good company] to explore our region’s wildlife. In 2025, I am excited to launch several new courses as part of my role with NHSN. So far, new additions included standalone sessions on willowherbs and trees, a new grasses courses taking place over four instalments, and even a programme dedicated to wetland plants. That should keep me busy. I’m also excited to lead a wee holiday for the fabulous Greenwings.
Possibly a FISC. For the last few years, I’ve been interested in putting my botanical skills to the test and taking a FISC exam with the BSBI. Next year I might just do this, we’ll see.
Rediscovering insects. Aside from ladybirds, my interest in insects has waned a little in recent years, thanks largely to a core focus on botany. Next year, however, I am keen to do both and have resolved to dust off the moth trap and sweep net and start recording invertebrates once again. So far, contenders for this insect moths, hoverflies and bees.
Write more! Given this blogs slight resurgence this year, next year I want to dedicate much more time to sharing content on Common by Nature. What format that will take, I am unsure, but should time allow, you can expect much more in 2025. I’ll also be focusing attention on my new BlueSky account if anyone would like to join me on there…

Comparing Insect ID Apps for Budding Entomologists

With several apps out there to choose from, just where do you turn when trying to identify a troublesome insect?

My previous post focusing on the best plant identification apps has quickly turned into one of my highest preforming blogs ever with some 15,500 views to date. It seems that has technology improves, and mobile apps become a permanent part of the naturalist’s arsenal, there is a growing desire to find the best digital assistant for wildlife recording on the go. Cue a new post!

Photo-based apps are growing in popularity across all wildlife groups and despite some turning their noses up at the idea, they are here to stay and have the possibility to engage and encourage an incredibly diverse audience. From teachers and students to citizen scientists and even, dare I say it, established naturalists, many are turning to apps to identify puzzling finds, confirm their identifications and corroborate identifications made using field guides. Moreover, technology is developing all of the time meaning apps previous dismissed as inaccurate are growing ever more reliable.

Apps associated with plants and birds are fairly commonplace and many people use them, but less discussed is the possibility of using apps to identify insects – perhaps the most diverse and tricky group of all. Despite the challenges of insect identification, there are several apps out there designed to demystify the process. In this post, I thought I would run a little experiment comparing some of the most popular…

First, some ground rules

One image only – some apps allow for multiple images but we’ll not be doing that here
Decent(ish) images – Poor quality images, lacking key features, pose problems for even the best apps (and naturalists!)
Verified species – apps will be tested only on species with a confirmed ID courtesy of an expert verifier
Native species only – I wanted to test this on insects likely to be encountered in the UK.

Meet the Insect App Test subjects

Oak Bush-cricket (Meconema thalassinum)
Brown China-mark (Elophila nymphaeata)
Patchwork Leafcutter Bee (Megachile centuncularis)
Platycheirus rosarum – a hoverfly
Riponnensia splendens – a hoverfly
Larch Ladybird (Aphidecta obliterata)
Capsus ater – a true bug

While some of these are easier than others, I have resisted the urge to include extremely common and familiar species which most apps will surely get right. Instead, the range of insect groups included should hopefully put our candidate apps to the test.

Oak Bush-cricket
(*Meconema thalassinum*)

Comparing Insect Apps

Apps that identify the insect as their first choice will receive 1 point. If the correct insect is identified but shown as an outlying choice, we’ll deduct points for each subsequent tier. For example, Larch Ladybird coming in as the 4th most likely option would early 0.6 points. I may give extra points in some places if the apps manage to impress me…

	Oak Bush-cricket	Brown China-mark	Patchwork Leafcutter Bee	Platycheirus rosarum	Riponnensia splendens	Larch Ladybird	Capsus ater	Score (0-6)
ObsIdentify	✔ 1	✔1	✔ 0.9	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	6.9/7
Seek	✖	✔1	✖ 0.2 (It did get the family!)	✖	✖	✖	✖	0.2/7
Picture Insect	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔1	✖	✔ 1	✔ 1	6/7
Google Lens	✔ 1	✔ 1	✖ 0.2 (again, it got the family)	✖ 0.2	✖	✖ 0.2 (points for ‘ladybird’)	✖	2.6/7

ObsIdentify vs Picture Insect

And so we have our winner, or at least winners. Both ObsIdentify and Picture Insect performed extremely well during the first test and truth be told, there isn’t much between them. Let’s try them on a few more insects…

For this, we’ll trial the apps on the lovely Green Long-horn (Adela reaumurella), another true bug, Calocoris roseomaculatus, and the tiny Meadow Ladybird (Rhyzobius litura). A reasonably testing bunch!

	Green Long-horn	Calocoris roseomaculatus	Meadow Ladybird	Score (0-6)
ObsIdentify	✔1	✔ 0.9	✔ 0.9	2.8/3
Picture Insect	✔1	✖ 0.2 (it brought up a very similar species)	✖ 0.2 (again, a similar species but failed to mention this one)	1.4/3

ObsIdentify (9.7/10)

Hands down the best app for insect identification

ObsIdentify performed extremely well across all insect groups and must be considered the ‘go to’ app for identifying insects. Based on the positive reviews shared elsewhere, it is perhaps unsurprising that it identified the easier Oak Bush-cricket and Brown China-mark correctly, but it surprised by accurately ID’ing the two hoverflies. Hoverfly identification can often be an arduous affair so extra brownie points here.

Of the points 0.3 points deducted in total, on all occasions this was due to a separate but similar species being put forward as its primary identification. However, in all three cases, the true species was listed in second place which at least allows users to quickly compare species and reach a judgment for themselves.

On a more practical note, ObsIdentify is very user-friendly and provides no end of handy information that some users might find interesting. It also works on more than just insects and overall, is a well-rounded and very helpful app. Top marks!

Impressive 100% confirmation of *Platycheirus rosarum* but do excuse the difference in names

Picture Insect (7.4/10)

Another good choice for insect enthusiasts but jut falling short

Picture Insect is a perfectly sound app and performs better than most. In the first round of testing, it excelled with the more familiar species and resulted in correct identifications when presented with more challenging species, particularly Capsus ater and Platycheirus rosarum. Both of these proved too much for apps further down the list.

A solid choice for second place, the app only fell short at the last hurdle, failing to identify Calocoris roseomaculatus and Meadow Ladybird very nearly nailed by ObsIdentify. Indeed, neither species were shown in the four available suggestions shown by Picture Insect, but it did at least put us in the right ball park.

While a good choice for use on common and familiar species, I did find the app somewhat annoying on account of the frequent pop-ups prompting paid subscription. The interface is also a little more complex that our winning option.

Correct identification of Brown China-mark

Google Lens (2.6/7)

This one ought to do better…

Google Lens is perhaps the most widely used app on this list, with a great many people using it for everything from foodstuffs to wildlife. Given the infrastructure behind it, it ought to have outperformed some of the less well-resourced apps but alas, failed at almost every hurdle.

Points were awarded for its success in identifying Oak Bush-cricket and Brown China-mark but beyond these, it succeeded only in correctly identifying several species to family level. If, like me, you like to know specifics, it probably isn’t for you.

Seek (1.1/7)

Not again iNaturalist…

When it comes to purpose-built wildlife identification apps, Seek by iNaturalist is perhaps the most widely known (and used) of all. Indeed, I frequently encounter students using the app at the recommendation of their lecturers and have chanced upon a fair number of naturalists using it the field. They shouldn’t bother.

Oh iNaturalist, what went wrong yet again? If you read my previous post on plant ID apps, you’ll know that Seek came almost last. It performed almost as negatively this time, succeeding only with the Brown China-mark. This is somewhat troubling given its widespread use and ties with what is fast becoming the most widespread biological recording app in the UK. Yikes.

I would avoid Seek save for its use in positive environmental engagement. Like iNaturalist who developed it, it makes wildlife recording fun and would be a great choice for weekend walks with the kids if little else.

Natural History Highs in 2023

It seems to have become customary on this blog for me to share a round-up of the year’s highlights, discoveries and magical moments. As 2023 draws to close, and before the obligatory New Year’s fizz gets opened, why stop now?

Before we get going, however, a huge thank you to the friends, local naturalists and complete strangers who have helped make 2023 such a fantastic year. If you have shared a tip, nugget of wisdom, location, or have spent an afternoon rummaging around in shrubbery with me, this means you!

Lindisfarne

I’ve always loved Lindisfarne. Largely for the plants, of course, but also for its remoteness, landscape, beauty and fascinating history. This year, I have been blessed to spend more time than ever before on the island and have enjoyed some truly delightful sights. From early-summer botanisting and treasures in Seaside Centaury (Centaurium littorale) and Lindisfarne Helleborine (Epipactis sancta) to hunting Frog Orchids (Dactylorhiza viridis) later in the season, it has been a real treat.

A high for me had to be finding Parsley Water-dropwort (Oenanthe lachenalii), a new plant for me, that had remained unrecorded on the island for a few years but being marooned in a spectacular lightening storm comes a close second. What a place!

Upper Teesdale

Like Lindisfarne, Upper Teesdale is one of those places I simply adore. Thanks to some lovely trips with work, and a few jaunts with friends, this year I’ve been able visit five times throughout the season enjoying all the wonderful plants you might expect. Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna) and Bird’s-eye Primrose (Primula farinosa) aside, it was great to finally see wild Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa) and Rock Whitebeam (Sorbus rupicola), both of which had eluded me on previous visits. This year, it was also nice to be joined by some seasoned entomologists for a closer look at Teesdale’s bees. The sight of quite literally thousands of Ashy Mining Bees (Andrena cineraria) was a delight for sure!

Bird’s-eye Primrose (*Primula farinosa*)

Hen Hole

Hen Hole is one of the most remote spots in Northumberland – the reason I had been unable to visit this scenic part of the College Valley until 2023. With some careful planning and lots of patience on Matt’s part, this year I finally ticked this off the botanical ‘bucket list’ making the long walk up the gorge to see what could be found. In short, we had an incredible day. The scenery was superb but the plants were even more exciting. In a few hours, we found several of the hole’s specialities including Alpine Willowherb (Epilobium anagallidifolium), Pale Forget-me-not (Myosotis stolonifera), Starry Saxifrage (Micranthes stellaris) and lots of Parsley-fern (Cryptogramma crispa). I am definitely excited to organise a return visit to 2024.

For those interested, a more complete write-up can be found here.

Surveying our Urban Flora

It is no secret that much of my time this year has been occuipied surveying Newcastle’s urban flora – i’ve written about it here and here. Since beginning work on ‘The Plants of Newcastle’ almost all of my free time has been spent exploring alleys, car parks, pavements, walls and a host of other man-made habitats to record what grows there. It has been great fun and already, has turned up an outstanding 830 species within the city limits, including a dozen or so county firsts. It really is amazing what can be found growing in our urban spaces…

The recording phase will take a while yet (we have to be thorough now, don’t we) but I have now at least begun to put pen to paper. 30,000 words later, I am now more optimistic that I’ll be able to publish a physical book in due course. Do bear with me!

Rare Plant Registering

As a new BSBI Vice-County Recorder, this year, much of my time has been spend aquainting myself with some of North Northumberlands rarer plants. Particularly those that have gone un-recorded for a short while. This year, I have tried where I can to fit in expeditions to search for some of these treasures. I have already mentioned Lindisfarne and Hen Hole, but other highlights include Rustyback (Asplenium ceterach) at a rural train station and of course, an encounter with Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort (Asplenium x Clermontiae). Others include Annual Knawel (Scleranthus annuus), Sea Spleenwort (Asplenium marinum) and Spring Squill (Scilla verna).

In South Northumberland, it was particularly exciting to rediscover a population of Sea Bindweed (Calystegia soldanella) that was thought lost. This is a terribly rare plant locally and so its remergence is definitely something to celebrate.

Lady Clermont’s Spleenwort (*Asplenium x Clermontiae*)

So Many Events and Courses

Working for the Natural History Society of Northumbria, this year, I’ve been lucky enough to spend an increasing amount of time out and about across the North East. Guided walks, bioblitzes, identification sessions and more, there have been so wonderful opportunities. For me, a highlight has to be creating and delivering several new, rather lengthy, botany courses.

Now, anyone who knows me will know that I am not a natural public speaker, nor particularly good at explaining things, so for me it has been wonderful to see these to fruition and extra great to hear that attendees enjoyed themselves. I definitely feel like my confidence is growing in this regard and look forward to delivering even more this year.

A huge thank you to everyone who has joined me on these, it means so much, and is one of the main reasons I love my job so much.

Discovering New Places

While getting out and about on the aformentioned trips, it has been wonderful to spend time at a host of new sites – places which that for one reason or another, I hadn’t explored previously. There really are too many to count in this regard but for me, Scotch Gill Wood in Morpeth is a standout. I seem to have spent a disproportionate amount of time here in 2023 enjoying Goldilocks Buttercup (Ranunculus auricomus), Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem (Gagea lutea), Rough Horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) and a plethora of other treasures. Other new favourites include Cullernose Point, near Craster, and of all places, Scotswood Road in Newcastle where much to my surprise, visitors can find a whole host of interesting plants and insects. I suspect you’ll be reading lots more about these in 2024…

Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem (*Gagea lutea*)

Exploring Cotoneasters

Including a complicated group of (at times) invasive plants in a round-up of the year’s highlights seems an odd thing to do but alas, here we are. I seem to have fallen down the rabbit hole when it comes to these tricky shrubs in 2023 – wrapping my head around identifying them, recording them everywhere I go, and *trying* to share some of this learning with others. This year, there have also been workshops, trips to distant botanical gardens to scrutinise rarer species and even some garden redesigning to accomodate a living library of reference plants.

Some of you reading this might think me a little mad but this is an interesting and increasingly familiar group of plants. I am quite enjoying learning more about them!

Chris and Hazel Metherell examing a specimen

And thats about that really. Despite an ever-decreasing amount of free time, 2023 has been another exciting year. Continued learning and new opportunities aside, it has been wonderful to spend so much time exploring the natural history of our region, often in great company. I count myself very, very lucky to be able to spend so much time doing what I love. Thank you to everyone who makes this possible.

PS. I am blogging far less frequently these days but am trying to get into the habit of sharing shorter updates to my new Facebook page. If anyone would like to keep in touch, you’ll find me there 🙂

Exploring North East Nature in 2022 – A Few Highlights

A summary of a fantastic year spent watching, recording, and enjoying North East nature. often in great company.

Well, I had thought that 2022 had been a quiet year on the wildlife front but apparently not, and as ever when it comes to writing these festive round-ups, I again have far too much to discuss. Do bear with me.

Before we get going, however, a huge thank you to the friends who have helped make 2022 such an awesome year for wildlife. If you have shared a tip, nugget of wisdom, or location, or have spent an afternoon rummaging around in shrubbery with me, this means you! Nature definitely is better when experienced together.

Orchids Galore

Now, I usually make a point of seeking out orchids each year, but in 2022, they have taken on a special focus. With the launch of NHSN’s Discovering Orchids project, there was plenty of recording to be done across the North East. This meant lots of visits to the far-flung corners of our region in search of some truly beautiful plants. Indeed, I think I encountered more orchids this year than ever before, including several new species.

From Bird’s-nest Orchids at Allen Banks to fantastic floral displays on Lindisfarne, there was an awful lot to see in 2022. Better still, some of these sightings and those of dozens of other botanists have now been published in Orchids of North East England, available now from NHSN. It was certainly a pleasure to contribute to such a fantastic publication.

Urban Botanising

For this city botanist, urban plans have been a real theme of 2022. Just as they are in most years really – I think I may have a problem.

What has been slightly different in 2022 has been the focus on more detailed recording. Back in October, I decided to start work on what I am loosely calling an “Urban Flora of Newcastle”. So far, this has seen 70+ hours spent in the field, 20 tetrads visited and some 2500 records collected of 530 species (and a few hybrids too). A mind-boggling total given the time of year and the relatively low number of squares visited.

I plan to continue work on the flora for the next few years, hopefully writing it up in due course. The diversity of plants in the city never fails to surprise and truth be told, I am finding the whole thing thoroughly addictive.

Ladybird Discoveries

I think that by now, just about everyone knows that I love ladybirds. Searching for them is a little like fishing in that you never quite know what you’re going to encounter.

This year has seen too many exciting discoveries and notable observations to count. So much so that ladybirds have been given a round-up all of their own. You can read it here.

Now that I have the pleasure of volunteering with the UK Ladybird Survey, I’ll certainly be sticking with the spotty blighters for years to come.

Cream-streaked Ladybird (*Harmonia quadripunctata*)

Noteworthy Plants

As a botanist, the vast majority of my free time is spent looking for plants. This year has been no different and with countless hours spent rummaging a variety of wild and urban areas, there have been a couple of good finds. Two that spring to mind are county firsts in Pale St. John’s-wort (Hypericum montanum) and Sorbus latifolia. The latter came as quite a surprise during a casual wander along the Tyne back in Summer.

Elsewhere in the North East, Forked Catch-fly (Silene dichotoma) was an exciting find at Gosforth Nature Reserve, as was Scots Lovage (Ligusticum scoticum) on Lindisfarne. Trips elsewhere have seen a whole manner of exciting discoveries too at places such as Hareshaw Linn, Alnmouth, and Berwick. Really, it has been a good year for botanising. Hopefully, there’ll be lots more to come in 2023.

Dabbling in Bugs

Do any other naturalists out there find they only have a finite amount of brain space for tackling new taxonomic groups? I certainly do! This year, I wanted to change things up a little and begin recording beyond my usual plants and familiar insects. Bugs seemed like an obvious place to start and I am pleased to say that I have encountered my fair share. Aphids have been fun to tackle this year and getting my eye in, I have seen a fabulous array of shieldbugs too. Not least the lovely blue chap pictured below. Add to these a variety of mirids and this new addition to my local biological recording has been most enjoyable if a tad hard to come to terms with!

Meadow Plant Pug (*Leptopterna dolabrata*)

Awards and New Opportunities

Anyone who knows me will know that it came as quite a surprise to win the National Biodiversity Network ‘Newcomer Award’ back in November. Not least because I am unsure of what exactly I have done to deserve it! That said, I am so immensely grateful to NBN for the lovely confidence boost and of course, the nifty profile page here. It really does mean a lot to be recognised for something I have loved since childhood.

This year, I also became an iRecord verifier for the UK Ladybird Survey covering Durham and Northumberland and began helping botanical VCRs in South Northumberland with verification too. Who needs free time, eh? It has certainly been nice to live vicariously through the sightings of others.

A wildflower walk at Silverlink Biodiversity Park

A New Local Botany Group

Oh look, a bunch of happy, smiling botanists!

Pondering the local botanical scene back in October, I came to the conclusion that a new group was needed. One with a focus on both supporting one another and on recording too. Sending out a few feelers, I was thrilled with the turnout with some twenty-eight people coming forward to be involved from all corners of the local area.

Fast forward a few months and several of us have enjoyed a few nice local walks at Walker and Tynemouth. 2023 will surely bring new opportunities and it will be great to get some serious recording done as our small and informal group grows and visits new places.

If anyone would like to join in, do get in touch. More the merrier!

Our new Northumberland Botany Group on a recent trip to Tynemouth

Magic moments

Not everything needs to be about serious biological recording – even if it may seem that way on this blog from time to time. Sometimes it is nice to simply sit back and soak in the joys of the natural world. Thankfully, 2022 provided limitless opportunities to do just that and whether we’re talking seabirds on the Farne Islands or orchids in the depths of County Durham, wonderful experiences have abounded this year.

Oddly, of all the great things seen and heard, it is a butterfly that sticks with me the most. The exquisite Green Hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) shown below landed beside me during a trip to Rothbury back in Spring. A species I have seen only a handful of times, it was superb to spend a good while in its company and I was certainly left with a smile when it departed.

Looking ahead to 2023

While free time seems to grow ever scarcer with each passing year, there are several things I’d like to try (or at least resume) in 2023. In a time-honored tradition on this blog, I’ll be making a few New Year’s resolutions centered on wildlife, recording, and other aspects of natural history. It will be interesting to see how many I can live up to.

A big year of botany: working with fellow BSBI recorders, I hope to start work on a new Rare Plant Register for North Northumberland. Equally, I’ll also be trying to organise as many local outings as possible for botanists, beginners and experts alike to meet and share their knowledge. Watch this space.
Beginner’s botany: the response to my new series of beginner’s botanical cribs has been amazing. A big thank you to everyone who has taken a look so far. In 2023, I hope to create many more of these to share with budding botanists and hope possibly to record some as videos too.
Recording urban flora: true to form, I’ll be spending an increasing amount of time surveying Newcastle’s plant life with the aim of having visited all tetrads twice by December 2023. Hold me to the coals on this one!
Getting back into the swing of things: in 2023, I’ll aim to make more of an effort to share finds, discoveries, and interesting titbits online, something that has slipped in recent years. I’ll also be launching a Facebook page to help with this and dare I say it, a YouTube channel too. Hopefully, by doing so, at least one new person might be inspired to look closer at North East nature.

NBN Award for Wildlife Recording

This week, I was both surprised and delighted to receive the NBN Newcomer Award for Wildlife Recording.

Now, it isn’t often I post about myself on this blog but on this occasion, you’ll have to forgive me. Following yesterday’s announcement, I can now say that I was thrilled (and more than a little surprised) this week to receive the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Newcomer Award for Wildlife Recording. A slightly daunting prospect given some of the incredible past winners but one I am sincerely grateful for.

Wildlife recording for me isn’t just about box-ticking, lists and spreadsheets, though I enjoy those too! Instead, it is a valuable way to give back to nature by creating valuable data that can (and is) used to protect it. Equally, it is about encouraging and supporting others to do the same and getting more people out and about encountering wildlife.

On a more personal and perhaps a little self-centred level (I think that’s allowed here), recording also provides a focus to my weekend walks and an excuse to spend every spare minute rummaging around in a host of great places. What’s not to like? Whether we’re talking plants, ladybirds or something else, occasionally, you also make the odd interesting discovery too which does help keep you motivated but doesn’t matter all too much in the grand scheme of things.

While I can think of far more deserving citizen scientists out there, I am truly grateful to NBN for the award, and to those who supported and encouraged me over the years. Not least, colleagues at NHSN and BSBI and the plethora of local naturalists I have the pleasure to meet with regularly.

I would also like to thank anyone who has stuck with this blog since its creation in 2011 – it has changed a fair bit, but the feedback received here has also been constantly encouraging!

Bee Orchids (*Ophrys apifera*) in urban Newcastle

Industrial orchids in Newcastle

A quick account of a fruitful few days spend admiring orchids in Newcastle.

As the NHSN’s Discovering Orchids project continues, I’ve been making an effort to check in on my local orchids. Visiting a number of post-industrial sites around Newcastle this week, it is safe to say that the plants did not disappoint. From your ‘everyday’ spotted orchids to a selection of scarcer species, there has been an awful lot to see.

Silverlink

Starting out at Silverlink Park, a site I talk about often, and Bee Orchids are having a good year. Indeed, during a quick visit, Matt and I recorded over sixty in bloom across the site. Big ones, small ones, some growing in grassland, others in flowerbeds, it is great to see this species doing so well here.

Straying from Silverlink for a minute, and Bee Orchids seem to be having a fantastic year locally on the whole. Not only are they performing well at traditional sites but are popping up in a host of new places too. I mentioned those at Scotswood a few weeks back, but I have also encountered them recently at Walker, Wallsend and Cobalt. At the latter, a number could even be seen invading the landscaped gardens of various office blocks!

Back to Silverlink and it was great to see Common Spotted Orchid becoming more numerous too. As expected, these have now taken over from Northern Marsh Orchid as the most numerous species blooming on site. A few marsh orchids could still be seen, of course, though these were invariably those growing in shady locations. The vast majority of those visible only a week back had long since browned and died.

Somewhat more exciting here was the discovery of a single Pyramidal Orchid. Growing within the site’s rich calcareous grassland, this looks to be the first record for the site. Indeed, having visited for many years, I can safely say I have never seen one here until now.

Pyramidal Orchid (*Anacamptis pyramidalis*)

Northern Marsh Orchid (*Dactylorhiza purpurella*)

A surprise

Moving on, a kind tip-off from a local naturalist resulted in a bit of a surprise this week, a few Facebook messages leading to an encounter with an altogether more special orchid. The delicate plant seen below is Heath Fragrant Orchid, an entirely new species for me.

Smaller and with fewer flowers than its larger cousins, this orchid really is a beauty. Better still, it smells amazing! A scent I would describe as sweet and citrusy that others have hailed as ‘spicy’.

Heath Fragrant Orchid is a scarce species in the North East and one usually found in the uplands. To see one in urban Tyneside certainly is a treat.

Heath Fragrant Orchid (*Gymnadenia borealis*)

Newburn

To some abandoned brownfield land at Newburn now and more Common Spotted Orchids. So many in fact that we lost count at 250! An abundant and familiar species across most of the UK, it is not often I see them in such numbers. The sight of so many flowers swaying in the breeze a welcome reminder of what more grasslands in our nation should look like.

Here too, a few Northern Marsh Orchid were hanging on, though looking a little worse for wear, and we identified several Common Spotted Orchid x Northern Marsh Orchid hybrids. Seeking out the biggest visible plant before looking closer seems to be a good technique for this – Dactylorhiza x venusta tends to be a whopper.

Common Spotted Orchids (*Dactylorhiza fuchsi*i)

Down by the river, we soon discovered the first of the day’s targets: Dune Helleborine. A rare plant nationally, those on the Tyne are said to be the locally endemic Epipactis dunensis subsp. tynensis. Or Tyne Helleborine, to use simple terminology. Either way, for some, the jury remains out as to whether they truly are a subspecies or not. Personally, I quite like them, but perhaps I’m just patriotic?

It was surprising to find over sixty Dune Helleborine in just thirty minutes of casual searching at Newburn. So many, in fact, that they outnumbered their larger and usually more abundant cousin, the Broad-leaved Helleborine. These were present in good numbers, perhaps forty or so, but still seemed scarcer than in previous years. Most of the plants we noticed had yet to flower, but a few had just dared open.

A mongtage of Dune Helleborines (*Epipactis dunensis* subsp. *tynensis*)

Well, that concludes this orchid-focused ramble. The diversity of these mesmerising plants around Newcastle never fails to amaze me and I’ll be looking for more in the future!

Comparing Plant ID Apps for Beginner Botanists

With so many plant apps out there to choose from, just where do you turn when trying to identify a troublesome plant?

Update: since the time of writing this, I have published a second, more comprehensive review available here.

Many botanists turn their noses up at the idea of using a plant app. Indeed, this approach requires minimal skill, no field guide and really, not a single jot of traditional botanical knowledge. It is in essence, as I have heard some put it, cheating. If indeed it is possible to cheat while doing something as harmless as naming a plant…

In our age of wildlife decline and increasing disconnection with the natural world, any engagement with wildlife should be nurtured and encouraged. Especially when, as is the case here, such engagement can help generate all-important wildlife records that help further our knowledge of wildlife. As times change, a fleet of new mobile apps are now giving anyone, not just tried and tested naturalists, the ability to accurately identify wildlife.

Of these new apps, a comparatively large number focus on plants. I suspect because plants are stationary, less likely to run away and thus, easier to photograph. With so many apps out there to choose from, however, just where do you turn when trying to identify a troublesome plant? And more importantly, will your chosen app give you an accurate result or point you in the wrong direction entirely?

To answer the questions above, I thought I’d conduct a little experiment by testing some of the most popular apps for myself.

First, some ground rules

One image only – some apps allow for multiple images but we wouldn’t want to give an unfair advantage now, would we.
Foliage only – the vast majority of the plants we see each day are not in flower. Let’s put these apps to the test…
UK natives, with one exception – I wanted to test this on plants likely to be encountered by British botanists. Odd things do escape, however, so we’ll include one bonus!

Meet the subjects

Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis)
Water Avens (Geum rivale)
Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)
Hoary Mullein (Verbascum pulverulentum)
White Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Majorca Nettle (Urtica bianorii)

I just so happened to have some suitable test subjects growing in the yard…

Comparing Plant Apps

Apps that identify the plant as their first choice will receive 1 point. If the correct plant is identified but shown as an outlying choice, we’ll deduct points for each subsequent tier. For example, White Horehound coming in 4th would early 0.6 points. I may give extra points in some places if the apps manage to impress me…

	Ivy-leaved Toadflax	Water Avens	Deadly Nightshade	Hoary Mullein	White Horehound	Bonus Majorca Nettle	Score (0-6)
PlantNet	✔ 1	✔ 0.7	✔ 0.9	✔ 0.7	✔ 1	✖	4.3/6
PlantSnap	✖	✖	✖	✖	✔0.7	✖ (Broke the app!)	0.7/6
Picture This	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 1	✔ 0.9	✔ 1	✖	4.9/6
LeafSnap	✔ 1	✔ 0.7	✔ 0.9	✔ 0.9	✔ 1	✔ 0.5 (Similar species)	5/6
Seek	✔ 1	✖	✖	✖	✖ 0.1 (Family level)	✖	1.1/6

LeafSnap (5/6)

One of the best plant apps out there…

Truthfully, I hadn’t heard of LeafSnap until researching for this fun Friday exercise. That said, it fared well across the board proving accurate on some of the more distinctive plants and narrowing down the more difficult Hoary Mullein and Water Avens based on foliage alone. It didn’t identify these straight away, but both could be found lower down beneath its number one picks of Scarlet Avens (Geum coccineum) and Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus).

LeafSnap would have come second had it not been for its valiant attempt at identifying Majorca Nettle which, despite not being 100% right, at least brought me to the similar Urtica atrovirens. I suspect it would fair well against those pesky garden escapes so many of us encounter on a daily basis…

On a more practical note, LeafSnap is easy to use and provides some handy information that some users might find interesting. Top marks!

Picture This (4.9/6)

The best at British plant species...

Picture This would have won hands down if I had not included the dodgy nettle. This ended up being ‘accurately’ identified as Ming aralia (Polyscias fruticosa) which it certainly isn’t.

This nifty little app did, however, identify four out of the five native species accurately and for the pesky mullein, was only one species out leaving scope for the user to compare photos and draw the right conclusion.

For those interested in the background information, Picture This gives a wealth of it covering everything from characteristics and symbolism to pests, diseases and garden use. Altogether, it is rather comprehensive!

PlantNet (4.7/6)

I do like this one...

I’ll hold my hands up now and say that I have used PlantNet plenty of times before, both to identify plants purchased for the garden and out in the wilds. It usually holds up fairly well and was only pipped to the post this time owing to a small struggle with the Water Avens and Hoary Mullein. It also didn’t guess the nettle, but perhaps I’m being mean?

One thing I really like about PlantNet is its ability to search based on regional flora. For example, someone holidaying in Spain might select ‘Flora of the Western Mediterranean’ to help them narrow their search. It is also one of the best for comparing multiple botanical characteristics and is usually accurate when flowers, foliage and habit are included.

PlantNet is by far the most scientific of the apps featured in this list and features no end of comparison photos, facts and useful information. In reality, it is more of a digital field guide than some of the others on this list.

Seek (1.1/6)

Really should do better...

Oh iNaturalist, what went wrong? While Seek managed okay with the Ivy-leaved Toadflax it did less well elsewhere, managing to assign White Horehound to the correct family but failing completely with the other species. Okay, so it did flag that the subjects were dicots but I think most of us knew that already?

While I would never personally use Seek, one positive I would mention is its use in positive engagement. Like iNaturalist who developed it, it makes wildlife recording fun giving badges and keeping count of how many species you have encountered. I imagine it would be great to use with children or as part of Bioblitz-type events.

PlantSnap (0.7/6)

Avoid, unless perhaps you’re visiting a garden centre...

I’m not in the habitat of being catty when it comes to things like this but my word, I’m not sure which plants PlantSnap was developed to identify but it certainly wasn’t any you can expect to encounter here. It was wrong on almost every account besides White Horehound which it identified first as a duo of mint species before drawing the right conclusion.

I would also add that the app crashed three times while using it, took a long time to process anything and eventually gave up completely while trying (very hard, I’m sure) to name the nettle. I certainly won’t be recommending it but alas, it might work better on flowers!

Where To Send Your Wildlife Records?

As I mentioned previously, biological recording is a bit of a minefield and there are plenty of organisations, groups, societies and schemes out there vying for your valuable wildlife records.

Generally, biological recording is an interconnected affair and records submitted through a chosen platform usually (but not always) find their way to where they’re needed. Still, trying to unravel the spider’s web that is environmental data-sharing in the UK is rather complex and I will not try to explain it here. I doubt that I could!

Where you send your records is ultimately down to you but some things you may wish to consider are:

Where will my records have the greatest impact?
Will they be added to national and local datasets?
Do they go where I want them to?
How easy/time efficient is it to send in sightings?
Will I get feedback on my records?

iRecord

iRecord is a fantastic platform for sharing records of species you have already identified. Recorders can add sightings of taxa quickly and easily, set up ‘Activities’ associated with particular species groups or places and readily explore what other naturalists have been spotting in their local area.

The single best thing about iRecord (in my humble opinion) is its interconnectedness. Sightings added to iRecord are shared with recording schemes, county recorders and expert verifiers, enabling sightings to be ‘confirmed’ before finding their way into wider datasets. The platform is also firmly linked with the NBN Atlas, enabling records to be shared wider with anyone who needs them and downloaded by Local Environmental Record Centres. Feedback on iRecord is not always instantaneous, but the wait is worthwhile knowing your sightings are going to the right place.

Truthfully, iRecord takes a little time to get your head around but is well worth it.

Opinion: iRecord is the platform to use if you seek comfort in the knowledge that someone, somewhere will use your wildlife records for something positive.

iNaturalist

A global wildlife recording platform, iNaturalist is incredibly easy to use. Whether you choose to use the website or app, you need only upload an image and hit send. Somewhat different to iRecord, recorders don’t even need to know what they’ve spotted and unidentified records are quickly confirmed by other users.

The community feel of iNaturalist is a great bonus of the platform and the very reason it is often used for bioblitzes such as the City Nature Challenge. You’ll need multiple confirmations from other users for your wildlife records to be marked as ‘Research Grade’ before they can be picked up by recording schemes – something which is likely to remove the majority of errors. A potential drawback here is that while there are many knowledgeable people using iNaturalist, anyone can ‘verify’ a record. You do not receive the same access to experts as provided by iRecord.

Recently, records from iNaturalist began to be automatically imported into iRecord, meaning they can be verified just like any other; though some schemes opt to ignore these and issues such as the use of nicknames and incorrect location names can throw a spanner in the works.

iNaturalist has, however, come a long way in a relatively short space of time!

Opinion: use iNaturalist if you’re seeking help with identification, are just starting out in biological recording or enjoy a more interactive experience.

Additional options for your wildlife records

Local Environmental Records Centres (LERCs)

Local Environmental Records Centres are not-for-profit organisations that collect, collate and distribute environmental data for a set geographic area. A good example is my local Environmental Records Information Centre here in the North East.

As well as collating data from various groups, clubs and schemes, LERCs often have their own portals to allow record sharing by local naturalists, often using the same software as iRecord. Sightings shared with LERCs will eventually make their way down the same channels as those shared to iRecord and may also be shared with NBN if centre staff and volunteers can spare the time.

It is worth mentioning that LERCs also have the ability to collect records shared to iRecord and iNaturalist. This may take a little time and ultimately, depends on the resources of the centre in question.

Opinion: submitting to your local LERC is a good way to ensure your records are used where they’re needed locally. However, under ideal circumstances, active LERCs should receive records shared with other platforms anyway.

Targeted Recording Apps

If you are only interested in recording a select few species groups, you might consider some of the targeted surveys out there. Two good examples that spring to mind are iRecord Butterflies and iRecord Ladybirds, both of which do a great job capturing important data on these groups through a series of handy apps. There are others out there too!

Vice-County Recorders (VCRs)

Vice-County Recorders are local naturalists appointed to gather, verify and curate wildlife sightings, and coordinate surveys. From plants to moths and mammals, for most of the well-studied species groups, the chances are there is a vice-county recorder in your area. Most welcome sightings via email, and others may request records to be collated in spreadsheets.

Many VCRs are plugged into some of the same platforms mentioned previously and actively verify and collect records from iRecord, in particular. That said, there remain some out there who are ‘selective’ about the platforms they choose to support, both reasonably and unreasonably in some cases. If you plan on doing serious recording locally, it is probably best to check the preference of your VCR to avoid your sightings floating about in permanent limbo.

Opinion: sending sightings direct to a VCR is a viable alternative for anyone wishing to avoid online recording portals but please do check their preference before filling their inbox.

Recording Schemes

From shieldbugs and snails to bees, beetles and fungi, thanks to a long history of wildlife recording in the UK, there are recording schemes out there for just about everything. NBN have a great search function to help you find the scheme that’s right for you.

Like the aforementioned VCRs, many of these schemes are wired into iRecord and even iNaturalist, while others choose to run their own recording portals or capture data in other ways. The UK Hoverfly Scheme‘s Facebook group is a good example of this.

For the purposes of this blog, I’m also lumping bird clubs and natural history societies that collect records in this category too. Many of these may share your sightings more widely but it helps to be cautious here as some may not distribute them any further than their own archive.

And there we have it! Ultimately, where you send your wildlife records boils down to what you hope to achieve. If you’re keen to support conservation, research and the production of resources, choose a route that leads to NBN. Here, your data can be downloaded and accessed at will by those who need it. More specifically, if you want expert feedback, opt for iRecord, or if you prefer the social site of wildlife recording, consider iNaturalist. The list goes on…

While the entire process of wildlife recording can be confusing, the most important thing is that you’re making the effort to document your finds in the first place. You can tackle the rest later.

Creating a Wildlife Record

Wildlife recording is quickly becoming a main passion of mine. The process of searching out interesting species, making notes, creating records and contributing in some small way to our understanding of nature proving to be a fulfilling way of making use of time outside.

Before digging into the subject in a little more detail on this blog, I wanted to cover the basics first and take a closer look and just what makes up a wildlife record…

The importance of wildlife recording

The importance of wildlife recording, or biological recording, to use the proper lingo, cannot be understated. Citizen science and the records generated by naturalists across the UK help inform conservation action by monitoring the abundance and distribution of wildlife, revealing expansions and of course, bringing to light declines too. They help paint a picture of how wildlife is faring on a national level but, closer to home, highlight local trends too, helping conservationists, organisations and researchers to target effort where it is needed most.

What is a wildlife record?

Whether we’re talking plants, insects, birds or a different group entirely, all wildlife records have a few main components:

What

The name of the plant or animal you’ve spotted and identified. If you’re unsure what you’ve seen, an identification to family level may suffice – the great thing these days is that there are plenty of people out there ready to help identify your finds.

Photograph

A picture speaks a thousand words and photographs help verifiers and county recorders confirm the species you’ve seen. Images are not always needed but for tricky species, they’re a big help.

Where

The place at which you spotted your plant or animal. An accurate grid reference is the most important factor here and generally, it is best to be as specific as possible. For many species, a six-figure grid reference is a good starting point.

Grid Reference Finder is an excellent tool to help with this.

When

The date on which you made your wildlife observation.

Who

Your name, in full. Or least written in a way that you would like to be displayed when your record is used elsewhere. Usernames and nicknames can sometimes be an issue for those looking to use your records so it is best to stick to writing your name in full.

What else could you record?

Depending on how thorough you wish to be, there are many other things you could note when creating your wildlife record. Additional informal is a great way to maximise the value of your sighting. Some things you might wish to include are:

How many

How many of your plant or animal did you see? Was it a single individual, or twenty? Information such as this is very important when it comes to assessing local and national populations.

Stage

Only applicable with some taxa but useful to note. If you spotted an insect, was it an adult or was it in its larval stage? If a plant, was it flowering, in seed or vegetative?

Habitat

Knowing more about the site at which you spotted your plant or animal is really useful. You may which to stay broad, for example by stating ‘woodland’ or may specify further, coniferous or wet woodland for example.

Additional observations

Anything else you observed while recording your plant or animal. If, for example, you’re recording a pollinator, what kind of plant was it feeding on? If a fungus, was it growing on a particular kind of tree?

What to do with your wildlife records?

Knowing what to do with your wildlife records is a different kettle of fish entirely. Biological recording in general is a bit of a minefield and plenty of websites, apps and organisations welcome the submission of your valuable records. Generally, there are a handful of really good options for wildlife recorders in the UK, but we’ll cover those further in another blog…

Recording North East nature in 2021 – ten highlights

2021 has been a funny old year but despite the big c and the various restrictions it brought, it has also been a memorable one. While time outdoors has been limited this year, thankfully, I have still been lucky enough to observe, enjoy and record some fantastic wildlife. As the New Year dawns, I thought I’d share some highlights here.

Brilliant bees

Fork-tailed Flower Bee, *Anthophora furcata*

Truthfully, I have seen more bees in 2021 than in any other year of my life to date, but perhaps that is because I have actually been looking?

Regardless, spurred on by NHSN’s North East Bee Hunt and supported to no end by helpful local experts, I have encountered some rather lovely species this year: my first Moss Carders on Lindisfarne, my first Hairy-footed Flower Bees (a county scarcity) and some delightful Bilberry Bumblebees to name but a few. All of which goes without mention of a dazzling assortment of other leafcutters, yellow-faced bees and bumbles.

Perhaps the highlight of the year on this front was finding this little Northern Mining Bee on spring wander through Ingram Valley in North Northumberland. This marked the first vice-county record for this attractive little insect and certainly made the hike worthwhole.

Lots of ladybirds

2021 marked my first year of purposefully seeking out ladybirds and I have been lucky to find and record a great many this year. Some of these, the 22-spot, 7-spot and Orange Ladybirds were familiar while others including the Eyed and 11-Spot Ladybirds shown below were entirely new for me.

A real highlight was discovering the inconspicuous but beautiful Water Ladybird at several new sites around Newcastle; while I also caught up with my first Adonis’ and Kidney-spot Ladybirds locally,

A little account of ladybird recording in Newcastle can be found here.

22-spot Ladybird, *Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata*

Notable plants

Befitting two exciting (but equally terrifying) new roles as joint BSBI vice-county recorder for North Northumberland, and joint Botany Specialist Group lead for NHSN, much of this year has been spent admiring plants.

Highlights here are too numerous to list with many interesting sites visited and many species observed. Instead, a few local finds spring to mind including the first county record of Curry Plant growing on the pavement here in Heaton, and a county-first Marshmallow spotted beside a local pond. Vosges Whitebeam was a notable find at a couple of local sites, if only because it took some time to ID it, while it has been interesting to observe several Thorn-apple plants growing close to home. A sure sign of their spread into the North of the UK.

Of course, our native species have enchanted too with a particular highlight coming from an encounter with my first-ever Maiden Pinks on the North Northumberland coast. I will make a point of revisiting these next year.

Surprises in the wildlife garden

Spending so much time at home, it was inevitable that more time would be dedicated to recording wildlife in our little garden. With over 200 species encountered, there are too many to list but standout moments include the arrival of Currant Clearwing and Mint Moth, plenty of Davies’ Colletes and some nice moth trap finds, including the superb Figure-of-Eighty shown below.

A short talk on the subject, delivered for the Natural History Society of Northumbria, can be found below.

Currant Clearwing, *Synanthedon tipuliformis*

Tackling trees

In the latter half of 2021, I set about attempting to learn urban trees with a focus on the more unusual, non-native species so commonly planted in our parks, towns and cities. Spending countless hours roaming various sites in Newcastle, I was delighted to encounter dozens of new species, from North American Pin and Red Oaks to Himalayan Birch and a range of unusual maples. While conifers still baffle me, getting to grips with the various globe-trotters with whom I share the city has certainly been eye-opening – there are so many out there!

You can share a closer look at Newcastle’s trees (and shrubs) with me here.

Investigating shieldbugs

A slightly unusual one now and while searching for ladybirds, I have been amazed by the quantity and diversity of shieldbugs uncovered at a range of local haunts. Some of these, like the Green, Hairy and Hawthorn Shieldbugs were familiar to me already; though a range of new species were encountered too including the striking Spiked Shieldbug and aptly named Parent Bug. I will certainly spend more time exploring this group in 2022.

Bumper Bee Orchids

A small, artificial reserve on the fringes of the city, Silverlink Biodiversity Park in North Tyneside has long been a favourite of mine when it comes to plants and invertebrates. Each year, I make a point of visiting the site in Summer with the aim of counting and enjoying its beautiful Bee Orchids and this year, the plants did not disappoint.

2021 was a record-breaking year for these colourful little wildflowers and here, hundreds were observed blooming across the site’s small but diverse grassland areas. It was also great to share this little-known with local naturalists as part of a guided walk back in July.

A trip to Teesdale

At the tail end of Spring, I was lucky enough to pay my first visit to the botanist’s paradise that is Upper Teesdale. While our walk may have been a little longer than planned – I severely misjudged the route – it was sensational to observe many of the plants that help make this area so special. Iconic and beautiful Spring Gentians, Alpine Meadow-rue, Bird’s-eye Primrose, Mountain Pansy and Green Spleenwort, there was certainly much to see.

I look forward to visiting again in 2022 and hopefully catching up with a few of the species that eluded me this time around. I’m looking at you Shrubby Cinquefoil and Holly Fern…

Dabbling in other taxa

While pottering about in search of plants, bees and ladybirds, it would have been rude not to pay closer attention to the other taxa seen on my travels. From butterflies and hoverflies to fascinating fungi, highlights have been too many to count but a few stand out moments include more Dingy Skippers than I can shake a stick at, thirty species of hoverfly, some impressive longhorn beetles and the first record of Diprion similis, a scarce Sawfly, for North East England.

While I have a long way to go before I can confidently identify species in these groups, I look forward to broadening my horizons further next year.

A whole bunch of wonderful people

Nature is better when enjoyed together and it would be rude of me not to mention the many passionate naturalists I have had the pleasure to meet and work with this year. By offering help with species identification and sharing experiences in the field, it is the people that have made 2021 so rewarding for this amateur naturalist.

Special thanks go to Louise Hislop and Charlotte Rankin for their help identifying bees and to Chris and Hazel Metherell for some memorable botanical moments, but really, it has been wonderful to share experiences with so many committed wildlife-watchers. I hope to meet many more next year.

Bees and botany at Newbiggin

A short while ago, a sunny Saturday afternoon provided the perfect opportunity for a June venture to the Northumberland coast. Deciding against sites we visit frequently, it was decided that we would head to Newbiggin for a closer look at the plants and insects that abound along a stretch of coastline we seldom visit.

Departing the bus at church point, we were immediately struck by a mighty profusion of blooming Hoary Cress, with countless foamy flowers strewn across the car park, adorning pavement, verges and once manicured flower beds alike. Here too, it was interesting to find two garden escapes: Silver Ragwort, with its lovely pale foliage, and Pink-sorrel, a particularly vibrant oxalis native to South American.

Stopping briefly by the rocky beach here, it was nice to see the delicate but beautiful flowers of Sea Milkwort while the strandline held what I think might be Frosted Orache. The queer-looking succulent leaves of Sea Sandwort were a nice find nearby, as was a substantial patch of Good King Henry growing amid the cliff-top grassland a little further North.

Walking North along the margin of the golf course, the number of bees on show was quite remarkable. Common bumblebee species, mostly, though we did notice several male Vestal Cuckoo Bees, all looking rather fresh and colourful. Given the number seen during our walk (around 16) it was likely these had just emerged. Nearby here, a rather large red-tailed bee turned out to be Red-tailed Cuckoo Bee – only my second of the year and still quite a scarce bee locally. A male Fork-tailed Flower Bee was also a nice spot here.

Further North still, a large expanse of Sea Thrift provided an opportunity to admire yet more insects. Green-veined White were numerous and a couple more Fork-tailed Flower Bees were seen. More exciting still was what appeared to be a small colony of Chocolate Mining Bees nesting in the exposed soil of the cliff. After a breif wait (and a very undignfied pursuit with a net) their cuckoo, Marsham’s Nomad Bee, was also found.

As you near the hulking power station at Lynemouth, the small cliffs meander down into a sandy bay and here, making the most of the countless blooms of Mouse-ear Hawkweek and other plants growing on the exposed sand, a number of Sandpit Mining Bees were seen, alongside the rather striking wasp shown below. Thanks to a speedy identification by an expert online, this turned out to be Ancistrocerus scoticus or the Maritime Mason Wasp. A fitting choice of location!

Here too, a sharp-tailed bee of some description was also potted as it inspected the nest holes of a potential victim. While it impossible to be sure, it seems likely that this was Dull-vented Sharp-tailed Bee – a new one for me.

Nearing the power station, we decided to detour back up to rough edges of the golf course to take a closer look at the plants here. A good job as we immediately stumbled across a sizable patch of Purple Milk-vetch. A rare plant in Northumberland, and one that suffers from poor management of coastal grasslands, it was interesting to note the greatest densities growing on the golf course itself where mowing had removed much of the taller vegatation. Lets just hope the mowers don’t return before it seeds…

Here too, a number of Northern Marsh Orchids were seen, alongside a glut of Burnet Rose and stacks of Bloody Crane’s-bill – the county flower of Northumberland. Our attention was also grabbed by a particularly large orchid with spotted leaves, looking superfisically similar to marsh orchids growing nearby yet, at the same time, completely different. We chalked this up to a hybird between Northern Marsh Orchid and Common Spotted Orchid.

What else did we encounter? Well, it was interesting to find a solitary patch of Snow-in-summer growing in the dunes, silver foliage contrasting sharply with the surrounding grasses. A rather beefy crane’s-bill growing on a patch of wasteland by the power station looked like a good candidate for French Crane’s-bill and a small, stocky umbellifer confused me no end at first but was later revealed to be Wild Parsnip. An 11-spot Ladybird resting on a fence post proved a nice way to end a productive coastal walk.

11-spot Ladybird, *Coccinella undecimpunctata*

A trip into the wildlife garden

Much as it did for great many people, I suspect, lockdown led to an increasing focus on gardening in our household. The focus for us being to transform our little urban yard into something appealing, for both wildlife and ourselves. I wrote about our mini-rewilding efforts a little last year (here) but realising that I hadn’t mentioned the topic since, wanted to provide a progress check.

For us, the major focus of this spring was to incorporate more wildflowers into our space. Sure, dahlias, marigolds and sedums look nice but they offer limited value for wildlife. Whilst we still have all of the above, and a range of more typical garden plants, the ratios have shifted.

The veg patch was first to go, sown in early 2020 with a native meadow mix, it didn’t do much in its first year. The clover did well but little else. This year, however, it has thrived with Oxeye Daisy, Red Campion, Red Clover and Black Medick vying to see who can grow the tallest. If you rummage in the understory, you can find other species in their too – Bladder Campion, Redshank and White Clover – but by large, the other species sown (including my long-awaited Musk Thistles) appear to have been shaded out. No matter – our 6ft seed grown Cotton Thistle has the spiny element covered!

Whilst growing a range of commonplace wildflowers, this year we also wanted to grow a few more unusual species, if only to prove that we could. Henbane was sown as an experiment in Autumn, and is just about to bloom, while both Small Teasel and Moth Mullein are doing well. Chuck in others such as Great Burnet, Salad Burnet and Common Bistort and it seems we’ve succeeded in our initial trial run!

Planning ahead for next year, it looks like we will be taking the cultivation of wildflowers to a new extreme. Already, four species of Mullein have been sown – Twiggy, Dark, Hoary and Moth for those interested. Where we’ll put these huge plants is a little beyond me, but we’ll manage.

Tucked away in the greenhouse there’s also White Horehound, Sea Campion, Field Pansy, Scot’s-lovage, Motherwort and (more) Henbane. I may need to open an online store, especially with the Mountain Pansy and Spotted Hawkweed seeds yet to arrive.

Our challenge next year will be to grow the native Herb Paris seeds purchased recently but I suspect they may turn out to be a tad picky.

Scot’s-Lovage, Henbane and Cotton Thistle seeds

But what about the wildlife? This isn’t after all a gardening blog. Well, at our last tally, we have now recorded 155 species in and around the garden since last spring.

Bees have certainly been a stand out highlight and it has been great to welcome back Fork-tailed Flower Bee, Patchwork Leafcutter and Bronze Furrow Bee alongside the more regular solitary bees and bumblebees.

In the last few weeks, we have also recorded two new bees here with Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee and Davies’ Colletes both shown below. Add to these 11 species of hoverfly, sawflies, solitary wasps and four species of butterfly, and the airspace here has been fairly busy.

Willughby’s Leafcutter Bee, *Megachile willughbiella*

We didn’t concentrate much on moths in 2020, owing to the installation of a new LED street light overlooking our yard. This year, however, we have persevered and have recorded several new species, albeit in low numbers. The Scalloped Hazel, Lychnis and Figure of Eighty shown below were particular highlights, though the others shown were most welcome. In particular, the Cinnabars, which have occurred in unusually high numbers this year.

It also appears that planting mint and oregano was a good idea and a few weeks back, I was delighted to spot a pair of beautiful Mint Moths, Pyrausta aurata in this case, showing an interest in these. Fingers crossed that they managed to breed – they really are a delight.

lsewhere, there’s bee a lot to see, including egg-laying Green Shieldbugs, sprawling webs of juvenile Garden Spiders and an all too brief Orange Ladybird that sped off quickly when I reached for the camera.
The 14-spot Ladybird adorning our Buddleja was thankfully more obliging.

14-spot Ladybird, *Propylea quatuordecimpunctata*

North Shields: brownfield bliss

I’ll admit it, I have a strange fascinating with brownfield sites. Not just because some of these places – spoil heaps, forgotten corners and abandoned urban land – often have an interesting back story, but because wildlife often thrives on these forsaken spaces. Indeed, whereas today it is possible to walk for miles in areas typically thought of as wild (our sheep-grazed uplands ring a bell) and see very little, on brownfield, it is often impressive just what you can find crammed into a relatively small space.

With this in mind, and having spotted an intriguing splodge of green while perusing Google Maps, last weekend saw using heading to urban North Shields to investigate the brownfield land surrounding Royal Quays Outlet Centre.

En route to our chosen destination, a short detour through the carpark of a now abdanoned retail unit brought the first sightings of the day. Here, on a small patch of rough grassland seemingly left to its own devices, the tall, purple blooms of Northern Marsh Orchid were spotted from some distance away. Closer inspection revealing dozens of these charasmatic plants, just coming into bloom. Here too, Common Blue butterflies were seen and a single Small Heath (my first of the year) rested breifly atop a patch of Bird’s-foot Trefoil. Best of all here, a single Dingy Skipper was spotted and as ever, proved difficult to pin down at first.

In the North East, and particularly around Newcastle and North Tyneside, the Dingy Skipper is a species strongly associated with brownfield sites where its foodplant, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, often grows in abundance. It remains a rare butterfly locally, as well as local conservation priority species, and it is always worth submitting a record to ERIC North East if you encounter one.

Moving on, we soon arrived at our destination and set about admiring the vegetation adorning the overgrown rubble heaps by the site entrance. Bristly Oxtongue, with its wonderfully spikey foliage, was an interesting find here, as were Salad Burnet and Wild Mignonette. Colonists included Green Alkanet and Red Valarian, were also seen, while a queer-looking plant with attractive, frothy flowers turned out to be Hoary Cress, a new one for me.

Still somewhat lethargic from the night before, a number of interesting bees were quickly spotted. Warming themselves on the leaves of Broad-leaved Dock, Chocolate Mining Bees were seen and nearby, a striking black and yellow nomad bee was revealed (unsurprisingly) to be Marsham’s Nomad Bee, a cuckoo of the former species. A leafcutter bee, likely Patchwork Leafcutter, whizzed past briefly and a few Early Mining Bees were observed. Bumblebees noticed included Common Carder, White-tailed and Early, and our first Orange-tip butterflies of the visit put in an appearance.

Griffith’s Spurge, *Euphorbia griffithii*

Rounding a bend and emerging into an open area close to the existing water treatment plant, we were greeted by an impressive display of wildflowers. Here, great drifts of Ox-eye Daisy and Meadow Buttercup caught the eye first, interspersed with Lesser Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Common Knapweed and other common species. The rich, blue flowers of Columbine stood out like a sore thumb and a conspicuous flame-red plant drew our attention. Clearly a spurge of some kind, its identity remained a mystery until our return home with the ever-helpful botanists of Twitter revealing it to be Griffith’s Spurge, a garden escape.

Here too, many more Northern Marsh Orchids were seen, and a closer look at what seemed to be a newly formed pond revealed Water Horsetail, Common Spike-rush and Pendulous Sedge. Among other plants, Yellow-rattle was obvious on the margins here and insects included Common Blue, Large Red Damselfly and another Dingy Skipper. The first of several seen from this point in.

Further in, we encountered another small pond, forming this time on the concrete foundations of what was likely a former building. Here, Lesser Spearwort was an interesting find among other aquatic species but really, most of our time here was spent marvelling at the wider picture of succession in action, with nature gradually reclaiming many of the remaining human relics on site.

Orange-tailed Mining Bee, *Andrena haemorrhoa*

Soon enough, it came time to leave – this was only meant to be a fleeting visit. Whilst an abundance of life was encountered over what was a relatively short, one and a half-hour visit, I suspect we are only scratching the surface of what could be found here.

The nature of places such as this is often ephemeral, and if the word is to be believed, this particular site could soon be developed. A shame, really, but not unexpected. I suspect that to many, its loss would be preferable to development elsewhere on land thought of as more typically green.

Once again, some ground rules

A small change

Meet the subjects

Plant app comparison

The Losers

PlantSnap (0.1/10)

Seek (6.2/10)

Google Lens (6.7/10)

Better Choices

Flora Incognita (8.9/10)

PictureThis (9/10)

The Winners

PlantNet (9.7/10)

LeafSnap (9.9/10)

Obsidentify (9.9/10)

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Recording the Urban Flora

Special Places

Fantastic people and Events

interesting Plants

Rediscovering this Blog

Down the Rabbit Hole

Looking Ahead

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First, some ground rules

Meet the Insect App Test subjects

Comparing Insect Apps

ObsIdentify vs Picture Insect

ObsIdentify (9.7/10)

Picture Insect (7.4/10)

Google Lens (2.6/7)

Seek (1.1/7)

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Lindisfarne

Upper Teesdale

Hen Hole

Surveying our Urban Flora

Rare Plant Registering

So Many Events and Courses

Discovering New Places

Exploring Cotoneasters

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Orchids Galore

Urban Botanising

Ladybird Discoveries

Noteworthy Plants

Dabbling in Bugs

Awards and New Opportunities

A New Local Botany Group

Magic moments

Looking ahead to 2023

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Silverlink

A surprise

Newburn

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First, some ground rules

Meet the subjects

Comparing Plant Apps

LeafSnap (5/6)

Picture This (4.9/6)

PlantNet (4.7/6)

Seek (1.1/6)

PlantSnap (0.7/6)

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iRecord

iNaturalist

Additional options for your wildlife records

Local Environmental Records Centres (LERCs)

Targeted Recording Apps

Vice-County Recorders (VCRs)

Recording Schemes

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The importance of wildlife recording

What is a wildlife record?

What

Photograph

Where

When