Lending Library
Did you know that Braywick Nature Centre holds a selection of field recording equipment that can be lent out, free, to residents of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
In order to conserve nature, we need to know what is around us and how it is changing. Field identification is key to this.
To help enable the brilliant wildlife community groups, the Borough have purchased some new field monitoring equipment. This is called the Equipment Lending Library and is stored at Braywick Nature Centre.
Please review our catalogue of equipment and then email bnc@rbwm.gov.uk to enquire borrowing any equipment. We normally get back in 2-3 working days and then can normally arrange collection from Braywick Nature Centre. Usually, you can borrow something for 2 weeks, and then return equipment.
The equipment is free to borrow for Borough residents, to complete their own surveys of local nature. Once surveyed, please fill in the following form and upload your results to a national monitoring scheme (we will provide more info on this) to ensure the data collected helps conserve our wildlife! This will also help us to complete the targets set in our Biodiversity Action Plan.
Check out the image of just some of the equipment on offer and see the full list written in the documents tab of this webpage. We do ask borrowing groups to be responsible for their own safety and returning the equipment in good condition.
We hope you enjoy finding more about the wildlife in your local Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
Please note:
- Equipment is intended for residents of The Borough. If you live outside the Borough you will not have priority but you may still be able to borrow.
- Please record what you find! Ask us what is the best way depending on what you are borrowing and what your experience is, and we can advise.
- Please note if you live outside of Berkshire or Oxfordshire, your results shouldn't be sent to TVERC but should be sent to your local Records Centre - find this here.
See most of our equipment below (excludes field guides). See the Document catalogue on this page for the full listings.
Equipment Type | Quantity |
Elekon Bat scanner Bat Detector | 5 |
Batbox 3 Bat scanner | 3 |
Pulsar Axion XM30F Thermal Imaging Monocular | 1 |
Mammal Tracking Tunnel + footprint tracking charcoal | 1+1 |
Longworth Mammal Trap | 5 |
PVC Thigh Waders | 4 (Sizes 6,7,8,10) |
| Chest waders | 10,11,12 |
NHBS Moth Trap (Starter Kit) | 1 |
Video endoscope | 1 |
Renewable energy kit | 1 |
Mega Pixels Scouting Camera | 1 |
Large sweep nets | 3 |
Small sweep nets | 5 |
Q1 quadrats | 8 |
Tape measures | 3 |
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Bats
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Bat detectors
Before scanning, find this handy guide on how to use our detectors.
Download or print this form to help you identify species.
Download or print this form to record what you find.
Please record your findings: this helps your data contribute to real bat protection. The best way is online here, or if not you can email your results to nbmp@bats.org.uk .
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Mammals
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Mammals around the UK, and RBWM, are mostly small and difficult to spot. The Equipment Lending Library can make this less of a challenge. Our scouting cameras, mammal traps, mammal tracking tunnel and thermal imaging monocular will help spot mammals.
Scouting camera
Information about camera here
Check user guide here
Record your sightings to TVERC here
Mammal traps
Information about mammal trap here
Check user guide here
Record your sightings to TVERC here
Mammal tracking tunnel
Information about mammal tracking tunnel here
Check user guide here
Record your sightings to TVERC here
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Thermal Imaging Monocular
Lent out to experienced users only. For more information please email bnc@rbwm.gov.uk
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Birds
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Video Endoscope
Many bird species in the UK are in decline. To successfully breed, many birds need a safe spot to build a nest, lay eggs and raise chicks to fledge. With a disappearing number of large, old trees, with holes and crevices that make perfect nesting holes for many garden birds, they struggle. Artificial nest boxes are a great solutions, providing the much needed habitat for our birds. Putting up a nest box in your garden, for birds such as robins, tits, wrens, starlings, sparrows, owls, raptors and swifts can greatly improve local bird populations. Check the local Bisham Nest Box Group for a great local way to acquire your boxes.
We have a video endoscope here at the lending library, a great piece of equipment for checking whether bird boxes have been used. Please note, boxes should only be checked in the company of someone experienced, and only during October-February when the breeding season is finished and the birds have left. By checking inside you can look for activity signs such as feathers, egg shells and nest material.
If you would like some advice on using the endoscope, local resident Brian Clews has volunteered some help. Contact him on: brian.clews@btconnect.com
Please note: if looking into owl boxes, protection in the form of goggles, gloves and sleeves must be worn. If owls are in the box at time of inspection, they may fly straight at an intruder and can cause injury. Only inspect these boxes with an experienced volunteer present.
Blog on usage here
Video example of endoscope inspection here
Send data to TVERC
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Moth
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Invertebrates
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Record your invertebrate observations here
Invertebrates are all around our natural spaces, and their diversity is huge. Some, such as stag beetles or various species of butterflies/dragonflies are rare and great indicators of good habitat. Any recordings of invertebrates are really useful for maintaining our spaces for nature.
Our extensive selection of FSC Field guides will help you to identify anything from butterflies to dragonflies to ladybirds, bees to long horn beetles to shield bugs.
We also have a set of sweep nets available to borrow.
These are used like in this video. We can lend out some white display trays and bug pots to observe creatures found as well.
All invertebrate records should be sent to TVERC.
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Plants
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Record your local botanical observations here
Monitoring local flora (plants) is a brilliant way to understand the health of our ecosystems. A functional plant network is essential for creating habitats where animals also thrive. We depend on plants for everything: food, clothes, most of our material objects and even the air we breathe!
We have guides to help you monitor the plant systems in various habitats: woodlands, grasslands, hedgerows or urban areas. You could also clue yourself up on specific plant groups, like orchids. grasses, mosses or ferns. Learning more botanical knowledge is a fantastic way to become more passionate about nature conservation, and when we understand and recognise the wildlife around us better, we can notice when something is diminishing and needs work to conserve it. Ask us about borrowing our quadrats for botanical monitoring as well.
But there is one even simpler way to help conserve RBWM's local nature when you borrow our guides you can do when borrowing our guides: recording the plants you find! And the easiest way to do this with local records within the Royal Borough is to send to the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre (TVERC) their website here or download the app.
Who's Listening
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Phone 01628777440 Email bnc@rbwm.gov.uk -
Phone 01628777440 Email bnc@rbwm.gov.uk
