In 2024, 152,711 records were submitted through Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal. Records were received from 8,301 individual recorders across all 32 counties, however from this 8,301 recorders there was a small band of 40, who submitted over 1,000 records.
From this group, there is an even smaller cohort that submitted over 1,000 species, yes not just 1,000 records, but over 1,000 different taxa. This is of course an incredible achievement and we thought it was would a good idea to highlight these recorders to find out how and why they do what they do!
Up first is Louise Garcia, a very active recorder who also acts as a validator for a number of our beetle species. We asked Louise for some background into how she got involved with recording, her main interests, best finds and what continues to keep her so involved and active in the recording community:
“I began early training for biodiversity recording aged nine, with my Nature study teacher, appropriately named Miss Nightingale. Each week we noted our observations of the last week’s weather and listed wild flowers, birds and animals we had seen. We also chose species from field guides and drew and wrote notes about them, continuously expanding our knowledge of our local flora and fauna. Enthused by this I got my first two Observer’s books, on Butterflies and Wild Flowers, for Christmas that year, and a nature explorer’s satchel to equip me for limitless adventure for my 10th birthday. The I-Spy books also fed my passion for observing, identifying and recording wildlife, even if it was just a tick in a checkbox and a date.
Fast-forward half a century and as well as a satchel of equipment and a much-expanded natural history library to refer to back home, I now have the time, transport and freedom to really embark on adventures of discovery in the natural world. When I occasionally get lost in tall reeds or stuck in a swamp, I feel the early promise of that nature explorer’s kit has finally been fulfilled! Even better, it is now so easy to take photos and share them with the wider scientific community through the NBDC online portal or phone app. It is an amazing golden age for biodiversity recording, with online keys, photo libraries and AI apps plus supportive recorder networks on Facebook, making it possible for anyone to contribute to knowledge of Ireland’s natural heritage.
Warm spring weather sees me looking forward to seeing old friends again as 2025 unfolds, in the form of the different moth, butterfly and bee species that pop up in the light trap and vegetable garden and the damsel and dragonflies along the river. With a main interest in insects I’ll be desperate to take advantage of warm sunny weather to visit my established recording sites and to expand to new ones. There’s delight in seeing old favourites again and grand plans to explore new habitats with better techniques in the hunt for long sought-after entomological gems. Last year’s highlights included a male Rhinoceros Beetle, a bevy of Spotted Longhorn Beetles and a first sighting of Green Hairstreak Butterfly. The more years spent poring over the books wishing I could see something, the greater the thrill in finally encountering the live species.
Once you’re hooked by biological recording, every walk becomes a treasure hunt, followed by a detective story when you try to name something new. As well as the benefits of fresh air and exercise, recording gives every walk and season a great sense of purpose. It’s also enormous fun, as I try to convey to youngsters when running biodiversity events. Nothing beats the buzz of capturing a photo of a new and fabulous species, tracking down its identity and finally seeing it get its due recognition with a new dot added to Biodiversity Maps”.
