The second-ever Great Yorkshire Creature Count was a huge success!
Welcome to the Great Yorkshire Creature Count community.
From midday on Saturday 19th June to midday on Sunday 20th June, we counted as many different wildlife species as you can!
There's still time to submit your results - and we've got loads of advice, tips and inspiration for making your space more wildlife-friendly below!
This year, there are two ways you can take part in the Great Yorkshire Creature Count...
Option one: Use our checklist
Download the checklist and tick off the creatures you see in real time.
There are 20 species to spot, plus extra space to make notes or draw pictures of any other wildlife you see!
Once you've finished counting, submit your results online.
Our checklist is perfect for beginner counters and those who find iNaturalist difficult to use!
Option two: Use iNaturalist
Like last year, you can also use the species recording website and app iNaturalist to identify creatures and submit your results.
iNaturalist has a handy photo ID feature and feeds into a national database, used by conservation charities and scientists all around the UK!
For help getting started, we've put together a handy guide on how to use iNaturalist.
What to do on the day
When the Great Yorkshire Creature Count launches on Saturday 19th June, all you need to do is get outside and start looking! You can count creatures for ten minutes, an hour, a whole afternoon or even the full 24 hours - it's totally up to you!
Use our checklist as a guide to tick off the 20 listed species. There's space for you to write any additional finds! Don't worry if you can't tick all the species off the list - it's just as interesting for us to know what you didn't find! You can submit your results online at any point during the weekend!
If you're using iNaturalist, you'll need to get yourself set up with an account if you haven't got one already and join the Great Yorkshire Creature Count project. This ensures that your counts will be recorded in the right place. More information on how to do this is on our iNaturalist page!
Follow us on social media to meet other creature counters and for live updates, spotting tips, videos, a Twitter ID hour, and all sorts of other fun stuff!
Creatures to spot from your doorstep
Whether you have a window box or a big garden, this is wildlife you can expect to see!
Your spotting guides
Need some help identifying your creatures? Our spotting guides will help you out!
Bees Moths Beetles Spiders Ladybirds SnailsCaterpillars Butterflies Garden birds Male and female birds Baby birds Amphibians Dragon and damselflies
Your wild neighbours
Facts, inspiration and advice on six common visitors to our outdoor spaces! Meet your wild neighbours...
Put a poster in your window!
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I take part in the Great Yorkshire Creature Count?
The Count is on from midday Saturday 19th June to midday Sunday 20th June. You can choose to count all weekend, for the afternoon or morning, overnight, or even for ten minutes while you have a cuppa! How you count is up to you.
How do I submit my results?
If you're using the checklist, use our online form to submit your results - we'll share this nearer the time. The online form is simple to fill in and the only information (apart from your counts) that you'll need to provide is your postcode. Use the downloadable checklist as a guide or a prompt - we'd love for you to share your ticked off checklists with us on social media!.
If you're using iNaturalist, your results will be automatically submitted as long as you are part of the Great Yorkshire Creature Count project (find out more about how to join the project). There may be a delay between uploading your sightings and them appearing on iNaturalist, so don't worry if you can't see them straightaway - they have to go through a verification process.
Do I have to choose between the checklist and iNaturalist?
No, you're very welcome to use both! We've introduced the checklist to make taking part in the Count easy for everyone, but if you want to delve into the detail of the species in your garden, we'd encourage you to give iNaturalist a go! It's got a handy species ID feature, so you can identify what you find, and all the results will be submitted to the overall project.
Why are we counting?
Our gardens make up more of the UK’s green space than all the nature reserves combined. And the past year has shown us how much we need nature in our lives.
But nature needs our help. The 2019 State of Nature Report (a health check of the UK's wildlife) reports the devastating effects of human impact on our wildlife. Of the 8,418 species assessed, 15% are now at risk of extinction.
Together, let's discover and celebrate the wildlife species who call our gardens, yards and window boxes their home. Our collective counting will give us vital information about the natural state of Yorkshire, enabling us to better support, protect and enhance our wildlife and wild places.
Why the 20 species on the checklist?
The checklist species are those you are most likely to see in your outside space, and those we're interested to know more about.
We know that our gardens and yards can be vital lifelines for a much wider variety of wildlife - that's why we've included the box to allow you to record anything extra or special!
Get involved on social media!
Our team will be around during the whole weekend with tips, advice and inspiration! We'll also be answering your questions, so don't hesitate to get in touch. And remember to let your friends know you're taking part and help us spread the word!
