If you have an interest in wildlife and want to learn more about the natural world around you then I would encourage you to take the next step and become a naturalist. In this case I am defining a naturalist as a person who is interested in botany or zoology, especially in the field.
Learning how to identify the plants, birds, insects, fungi etc. around you will open up a whole new world to you. Although learning identification is important and rewarding, you can go on to learn about how organisms live, interact with one another and react to different situations. Additionally, you will learn what the presence of those organisms tells you about the landscape you are in.
What to look for
Whichever country you live in there are many thousands of different mammals, reptiles, birds, flowers, trees, insects, fungi etc. for you to see. You won't be able to learn about all of them, so at some point you will have to specialise, but for your first year I suggest that you try everything. Visit the nature reserves, parks and wildlife areas in your local neighbourhood and see how many animals, birds and plants you can find. Keep a diary and write down the sites that you visit, the date and everything that you see. When you get home, use some reference books to see if you can identify what you saw.
When
The best time of year to start is when there is plenty of wildlife around. Late spring or early summer are recommended. Starting in winter is not recommended as the poor weather makes it more challenging and the lack of wildlife can be disheartening.
Who with
The easiest way to learn how to be a naturalist is to find someone else who is already a naturalist and go on some field trips with them. They will give you advice on how to identify what you see, but they will also be able to give advice on two other important things:
1. Where to go to see more unusual wildlife, and
2. How to hunt for, search for and seek out interesting wildlife.
Another excellent way to learn about wildlife is to go on a guided walk at a local nature reserve. Some places are better at publicising these than others, but if you keep an eye out at your local library, local newspaper or a notice board at your local nature reserve, you can find out when guided walks take place. Also, nowadays, a lot of nature reserves have their own website, so any events will be advertised there. Going on such a walk will show you wildlife you may not have noticed yourself, but also it will also introduce you to people with a similar interest.
Another alternative is to join a local wildlife trust or conservation volunteer group and go out on tasks. Also some larger organisations, such as the National Trust, run working holidays at nature reserves that they own.
Joining a national organisation such as the RSPB, Mammal Society, Wild Flower Society or Butterfly Conservation Society will help you to find out about events for members and provide you with a magazine to read as well. Once you go to an event you will meet other people with the same interest and they may tell you about a local society that you can join.
A local wildlife group or society is the best group to join as they will run field trips in your local area, help you to find the best sights near to where you live and provide help in identification. I enjoy the social side of being in a local group and sharing your interest and enthusiasm with others.
Reading and Recording
When you are not on a field trip, I recommend that you buy a good field guide and read about wildlife in your spare time. Friends or local clubs can recommend good field guides. Otherwise have a look at the reviews on Amazon or other natural online bookstores; they will give you good ideas on where to start.
You will also need to buy a good notebook, with a waterproof cover, and write down what you see. Keeping records is an important part of being a naturalist. As well as aiding with identification, they help you to learn about different sites and compare them. You can also look back if you want to see a rare bird, flower etc. and see where they are found. The act of writing something down seems to help you learn and remember more abut the wildlife you have seen.
Many naturalists are also interested in photography, so you may want to take photos of the interesting wildlife that you see. Trying to take a photo of a bird, flower etc. really helps you to learn about their features, characteristics and habitat as well. It also gives you an excellent record of your day.
Other Equipment
Make sure you have good waterproof clothing for your field trips. You may also need special camouflaged clothing for watching birds or animals.
You may also need specialist equipment such as binoculars, magnifying glass, nets, traps etc.
Location is Very Important Too
Learn where the best sites for wildlife are. Some places are much better than others and an obvious starting point is to visit your local nature reserves.
Specialising
After the first year you will have an idea of which field you want to specialise in and you can concentrate on that. My advice is to be a specialist, but keep a good general knowledge as well. It is good to know the different butterflies, birds, flowers and fish that you see commonly, but it is also good to be a specialist in one particular area as well. Being a specialist means that you can be of great help to other people, but also conduct research and make new discoveries yourself.
After you have built up your local general knowledge, you may want to go deeper and specialise in one particular group of organisms. There will be a national society for you to join and members there will be glad to help you. You may also be able to take part in a national recording scheme and do surveys for them.
In summary
Starting out as a naturalist can be a bit daunting, but there is always help around, with local societies, field guides and websites as well. You can be a naturalist on our own if you wish and you can keep your own personal records. Alternatively, you can join with others in a local or national society and recording scheme. Whichever you do, have fun and enjoy your new-found interest.
Michael Knaggs is an experienced and enthusiastic naturalist who has been visiting the countryside and observing birds, mammals, butterflies and wild flowers since he was 12 years old. He is a member of the Wild Flower Society and the Bradford Botany Group.
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