Thank you to everyone who took part in Creature Count this year. 

368 of you submitted your sightings to us, with over 5,000 creatures counted, and over 1,000 separate species spotted. 

It just goes to show, there’s some sort of nature wherever you look!

Of course, there are some species that are more abundant than others, which also means there are others that are more difficult to spot.

Can you guess the top 10 for 2026?  Let’s see…

In at number one, unsurprisingly, the woodpigeon with 217 sightings logged on iNaturalist.  This large, plump bird is a familiar sight in our gardens and parks, but can also be found on farmland and in woodlands almost everywhere. You may hear its cooing call before you see the bird itself.

At number two…the beautiful blackbird, with 215 sightings listed. Did you know that although the blackbird is one of our most common garden birds, they are actually partially migratory within the UK (Scottish populations visit Northern Ireland, for example) and strongly migratory within Europe, with birds from Scandinavia and the Baltics joining our residents in winter.

In at number three, the UK’s favourite bird, the robin with 192 sightings. Robin nests often crop up in the oddest of places, such as plant pots, old wellies and shelves, but Ivy and other shrubs are their natural choice. 

In at number four, the house sparrow with 169.  These sociable birds are unfortunately in severe decline in the UK and are classified in the UK as Red under the birds of conservation concern. 

Halfway down the list at number five is the charismatic blue tit with 154 sightings.  Like most birds, blue tits can see ultra-violet light and have studies have shown their blue head crowns glow brightly under UV light. 

Now you may think this is good or bad, depending on your point of view, but in at number six with 151 sightings is the garden snail.  Snails need to retain moisture so they don’t dry out, so in hot weather will retreat into their shells if it’s too hot or dry.  A little like us if the weather gets too hot!

Buzzing in at number seven is the honeybee with 135 spotted, followed closely behind at number eight by the buff-tailed bumblebee that came in with 117.  The buff-tailed bumblebee is one of the largest of our bumblebees and is also one of the first to emerge in the spring. They nest underground, in old mammal nests, in groups of up to 600 bees.  That’s quite a noisy nest!

At number nine, flying in with 117 sightings is the great tit and finally, but no less important, the seven spot ladybird.  This is our classic ladybird and has three black spots on each side and one in the middle. 

We also received some incredibly interesting reports including a lunar hornet moth.  This moth looks like a hornet, hence the name, but is in fact a harmless moth, so don’t worry, it won’t sting! 

We also had a report of a sleepy carpenter bee.  In overcast weather, the sluggish males can sometimes be seen with their legs wrapped around the flower stamens, making them look like they are asleep.  We’re sure they’re just contemplating their next move of course!

A yellow legged mining bee and an orange ladybird were also spotted.   

Have you ever seen any of these rarer species?  If so, let us know when and where. We’re always interested to hear, no matter the time of year.   

And just because Creature Count is over for 2026, that doesn’t mean you have to stop spotting! You can carry on using iNaturalist and recording your sightings to help build an understanding of what species are living and using the areas near you.

You can send us any strange sightings or images you may have by emailing marketing@wkwt.org.uk