City Nature Challenge 2025: North East England
Join the Global Wildlife Recording Competition!
The City Nature Challenge is an exciting global competition where people around the world compete to record the most wildlife species over one weekend. From Friday, April 25th to Monday, April 28th, 2025, communities will work together to document local biodiversity by logging sightings on the iNaturalist platform.
ERIC North East is coordinating the challenge across the entire North East region - from the Scottish border to North Yorkshire, and extending 10km into the North Sea!
Wildlife to Spot in Ashington and Northumberland
Northumberland hosts a rich diversity of wildlife. Here are some species to look out for:
Ashington Area
Red Squirrels
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Population: Approximately 130,000 breeding pairs in the UK as of 2016 .
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Conservation Status: Listed as 'Least Concern' globally by the IUCN.
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Habitat: Prefer mature coniferous and mixed woodlands.
Otters
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Population: Otters have been successfully reintroduced across much of the UK, including Northumberland.
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Habitat: Found along rivers such as the Wansbeck, in both freshwater and coastal environments.
Kingfishers
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Population: Approximately 1,400 10-km squares occupied during the breeding season in the UK .
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Habitat: Prefer slow-moving rivers, streams, and lakes with abundant fish.
Roe Deer
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Population: Stable across much of the UK, including Northumberland.
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Habitat: Woodland edges and farmland, often seen at dawn and dusk.
Great Spotted Woodpeckers
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Population: Approximately 130,000 breeding pairs in the UK as of 2016
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Conservation Status: Listed as 'Least Concern' globally by the IUCN.
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Habitat: Mature woodlands, especially those with a mix of tree species.
Water Voles
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Population: Estimated between 58,341 and 186,142 individuals in the UK
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Conservation Status: Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
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Habitat: Prefer rivers, streams, and wetlands with dense vegetation.
Wider Northumberland
Grey Seals
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Population: Over 100,000 individuals in the UK, with significant colonies along the Northumberland coast.
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Habitat: Coastal areas, particularly sandbanks and rocky coves.
Puffins
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Population: Coquet Island hosts over 30,000 puffins during the breeding season
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Conservation Status: Considered vulnerable due to declining numbers.
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Habitat: Nesting on coastal cliffs, especially on islands like the Farne Islands and Coquet Island.
Red Kites
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Population: Reintroduced successfully in Northumberland; numbers have been increasing steadily.
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Habitat: Open countryside, often seen soaring in the sky.
Salmon
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Population: Facing significant declines; 72% of Scottish rivers are rated 'poor' for salmon conservation
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Conservation Status: Classified as endangered by the IUCN.
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Habitat: Rivers like the Tyne and its tributaries, though populations are under threat.
Adders
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Population: Exact numbers are difficult to determine; adders are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
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Habitat: Heathlands, grasslands, and woodlands.
Badgers
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Population: Estimated at over 300,000 individuals in the UK.
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Conservation Status: Protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992.
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Habitat: Woodland edges and farmland, often seen at dusk.
Porpoises
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Population: Harbour porpoises are the most common cetacean in UK waters, though exact numbers are not well-documented.
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Habitat: Coastal waters, including the Northumberland coast.
Curlews
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Population: Numbers have declined by 54% since 1979
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Conservation Status: Listed as 'Red' under the UK's Birds of Conservation Concern.
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Habitat: Moorlands and coastal areas.
Pipistrelle Bats
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Population: Common across the UK; specific numbers are challenging to estimate.
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Conservation Status: Protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
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Habitat: Urban and rural areas, often seen at dusk.
How to Participate
Record Your Own Sightings
You can document wildlife anywhere - in your garden, local parks, nature reserves, or even at sea! Here's how to get involved:
1. Download the iNaturalist app
Sign up for a free account on iNaturalist. You can spot nature from your window or discover wildlife in your garden - there's plenty to record without traveling far!
2. Join the "City Nature Challenge 2025: North East England Project"
Make sure to join our local project so your observations count toward our region's totals.
3. Find and document wildlife (April 25-28)
Take photos or make sound recordings of any plants, animals, fungi, or even evidence of wildlife like tracks and feathers.
4. Upload your observations
Submit all your findings through the iNaturalist app by 9am on Monday 5th May.
FREE Public Events
Join ERIC North East at these family-friendly events where you can learn about local wildlife and help with the challenge:
Friday, April 25th
- 10am - 2pm: Great North Museum: Hancock
- 1pm - 3pm: Low Burnhall Woodland Trust (meet at car park) - Sign up required
Saturday, April 26th
- 11am - 1pm: Nuns Moor Park, Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sunday, April 27th
- 10am - 2pm: Saltholme Nature Reserve, Middlesbrough
- 10am - 2pm: Cresswell Pele Tower, Northumberland
- 11am - 1pm: Durham University Botanic Garden (meet at overflow car park) - Sign up required
Monday, April 28th
- 10am - 2pm: Whitburn Bents, Sunderland
Resources for Schools
The Bristol Natural History Consortium has created excellent educational materials including a Key Stage 1 Lesson Plan and Biodiversity Bingo activity. On Friday, April 25th, ERIC North East will host child-friendly activities at the Hancock Museum from 10am to 2pm.
Challenge Area
The "city" region extends from the Scottish border, along the Cumbrian border to North Yorkshire, and 10km into the North Sea.
Get ready to explore, discover, and document the amazing biodiversity of North East England!
