A curated collection of reference materials, identification aids, publications and online resources for biological recorders, ecologists, students and naturalists. Covering topics from species identification and biological recording to bioacoustics and ecological research, these resources support learning, fieldwork and the collection of high-quality biodiversity data.
Beetle Resources
The Coleopterists Society of Britain and Ireland (ColSoc) is dedicated to the study of beetles. It aims to further beetle research, standardise and promote recording and develop and encourage public awareness and conservation of the 4,000+ beetle species found on the British Isles.
Beetle picture gallery. Very comprehensive, useful for species confirmation and picture matching. The main source of photographs is Iconographia Coleopterorum Poloniae.
A comparison tool with simple filtering aids and auto-identification option.
Beetle picture gallery. Very comprehensive, useful for species confirmation and picture matching.
A comparison tool with simple filtering aids.
Soundscape Resources
Soundscape Dataset
Global bird guide with automatic sound recognition. CornellLab App.
Citizen science project dedicated to sharing wildlife sounds. Xeno-Canto Website.
Gillings, S. (2025) Inferring Nightjar behaviour from acoustic signals. British Trust for Ornithology Blog.
Abrahams, C. (2022) Bioacoustics as an applied tool in ecological research and biodiversity conservation. PhD Thesis, Nottingham Trent University.
Docker, S., Lowe, A. & Abrahams, C. (2020) Identification of different song types in the European Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus. Bird Study, 67:1, 119-127.
Docker, S. (2016) The Detection of ‘Paired’ Male European Nightjars Caprimulgus europaeus Linnaeus, 1758 Using Unattended Acoustic Recording Devices: A Potential Census Tool. MSc Dissertation, Manchester Metropolitan University.
Docker, S. (2014 & 2015) Three terabytes available for future research upon request. Contains a range of crepuscular and nocturnal sounds (biological, geophysical and anthropogenic) recorded in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom. Known to include vocalisations of oscine passerines, European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus, Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola and Tawny owl Strix aluco.
Additional Resources
Docker, S. (2025) Biological Recording: Getting Started. Presentation.
The Biological Recording Company (BRC) offers a mix of virtual and in-person natural history training.
The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) makes biodiversity literature openly available to the world as part of a global biodiversity community.
Docker, S. (from 2 Feb 2007) biological records stored on the iRecord system. Includes multi-species records collected from a range of geographical locations within the United Kingdom.
Docker, S. (from 1996) Summary of BTO Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) Results for Church Mayfield, Staffordshire/Derbyshire (SK1544).
Docker, S. (2024) Repeat Bird Survey of Cromford Canal, Derbyshire using the MacKinnon Listing Technique. Datasets.
Docker, S. (2014) Baseline Bird Survey of Cromford Canal, Derbyshire using the MacKinnon Listing Technique. Assessment Report.
Laessoe, T. and Petersen, J. H. (2019) Fungi of Temperate Europe. Fungi Form Wheels.
The British Mycological Society (BMS) promotes fungal science internationally.