The Wiltshire & Swindon Biological Records Centre (WSBRC) is a not-for-profit partnership initiative housed at the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust which provides a central reference point for environmental information on species, sites, habitats and geology in Wiltshire and Swindon. Find out more about us.
Recent Sightings
We have recently received a record of a Poplar Hawk-moth - Laothoe populi which is probably the commonest of our hawk-moths. It was seen on 20/07/2010 at a bus stop at ST913622.
Get involved with the non-native invasive plants survey
Invasive non-native plants are plants that have not evolved naturally in the UK and cause problems for our native wildlife, our health and our economy. The presence of non-native invasive plants in Wiltshire poses a significant threat to the characteristic species and habitats of Wiltshire.
You can help by reporting any sightings of non-native invasive plants within Wiltshire which will then be used to assess the scale of the problem of invasive non-native plants in Wiltshire.
WSBRC is a member of ALERC
The WSBRC is a member of the Association of Local Environmental Records Centres (ALERC). The Association, formally launched in 2008, represents the interests of Local Records Centres in the UK, promoting standards and services in biodiversity and geodiversity data collation & service provision.
Recent Updates
Recent updates and additions to our website are listed below:
ID parade 27/07/2010
Invasive Plants Survey 22/07/2010
Road Verges with updated monitor vacancies 22/07/2010
Downloads with updated forms and newsletters 13/07/2010
Your Records 13/07/2010
Your Photos with latest images sent into us 13/07/2010
Sightings board updated 07/07/2010
New Recording forms Two new excel recording forms, making it easier to send us your records. 07/07/2010
Latest River Monitoring Newsletter 06/07/2010
Follow the ups and downs of raising a family
Three years ago our volunteer River Monitoring Co-ordinator, Susan Allen, placed a bird box and camera in her back garden, praying for something to nest. She has not been disappointed, as Great Tits have nested every year.
This year as the box and the nests have been fairly successful, she chose to record what happened to the young family of Great Tits.
Swift Action Needed For Swift Recovery
The Common Swift isn’t soaring like it should be, in fact their numbers have dived by 30% in recent years. They have now landed on the Amber list as birds of Conservation Concern, and need our help.
A destruction of nest sites is the suspected cause of the decline, in the form of demolitions, renovations and roof repairs. It is estimated that 16% of nest sites are currently under threat. An analysis of current known nesting sites show them to be present in half of houses built before 1919, 25% of houses built 1919 to 1944, and 24% of public buildings (such as schools).
Bustards on the rise on Salisbury Plain
A new set of Great Bustard chicks has hatched in Wiltshire, only the second wild set since the species was reintroduced to this country. The Great Bustard, which became extinct in Britain as a nesting bird in 1832, successfully nested last year, when two pairs fledged two chicks on Salisbury Plain, in Wiltshire. This year though there have been four nests with young so hopes for their survival are high.
