County Recorders

County Recorders are experts in their fields who review and verify records for CBDC on a voluntary basis. Only records which have been checked and verified by one of these experts are included in data provided by CBDC to our partners and clients.

You can contact a County Recorder about unusual sightings or for detailed queries relating to the identification of challenging species. For most identification related queries it is better to get in touch with the CBDC Recording Officer.
As the individuals carrying out these roles change from time to time, CBDC maintains a list of proxy emails to make contacting a County Recorder for a particular taxonomic group easier. The list of contact emails is below.

County Recorders may need to contact recorders to discuss their records, especially in the case of records of unusual or hard to identify species. By submitting your records to CBDC, you consent to CBDC sharing your contact details with any relevant County Recorder(s) for this purpose only, and only if requested to do so by the relevant County Recorder. CBDC will never share any recorders’ contact details for any other purpose without separate permission.

List of County Recorders (updated May 2025)

Aculeata (Bees and Wasps)
Nick Franklin

Amphibians (Frogs, Toads and Newts)
Tony Marshall
amphibianverifier@cbdc.org.uk

Ants
Gary Skinner
antverifier@cbdc.org.uk

Birds
Chris Hind, Cumbria Bird Club
countyrecorder@cumbriabirdclub.org.uk

Bryophytes (Mosses and Liverworts)
Andy McLay (VC69) and Clare Shaw (VC70)

Coleoptera (Beetles)
John Read

Diptera (True Flies)
Steve Hewitt
trueflies@cbdc.org.uk

Hemiptera (True Bugs)
Steve Hewitt
truebugs@cbdc.org.uk

Lichens
Pete Martin

Mammals
John Martin
cumbrianmammals@gmail.com

Moths
Steve Benner, Roger Fellows, Rob Pickett and Gerry Rawcliffe
cumbriamothverifiers@cbdc.org.uk

Neuroptera (Lacewings and allies)
Steve Garland

Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies)
David Clarke
dragonflyverifier@cbdc.org.uk

Orthoptera (Grasshoppers and Crickets)
Steve Hewitt
grasshoppersandcrickets@cbdc.org.uk

Plants
Peter Bullard, Gary Lawrence and Jeremy Roberts
Contact Flora of Cumbria Recording Group

Reptiles (Lizards and Snakes)
Tony Marshall
reptileverifier@cbdc.org.uk

Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre

The Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre at Tullie House Museum, Carlisle keeps wildlife information for the county of Cumbria. Tullie House Museum, in its role as a local natural history museum, has collected and disseminated records of wildlife in Cumbria since its inception in 1893. From the early 1990s the Museum has developed a computerised database of species and habitat records in Cumbria and has taken the central role in providing a local biodiversity data service for the county. This role was restyled as Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre (CBDC) in 2010, a not-for-profit organisation hosted by Tullie House Museum and advised by local stakeholders.
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreTuesday, September 2nd, 2025 at 5:01am
There are still places on the upcoming session "Creating Self-Guided Walks" at Orton Market Hall on 14th September (morning only). If you are interested in how to create such walks - for websites, blogs, for local community groups, for visitors - do come along. Open to all - land managers, farmers, community groups, individuals.

See you there!

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cumbria-ecoskills

#biodiversity #walking #access #walkinginnature #wildliferecording
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
View on Facebook
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreTuesday, August 19th, 2025 at 11:30pm
We have two informative Cumbria Ecoskills training sessions coming up in September - open to all with an interest in the topics:
- Sunday 14th September: creating self-guided walks (for anyone who wants to encourage your local community to explore existing walks in your area)
- Saturday 20th September: an introduction to wildlife gardening (includes a plant which participants will pot up).

Find out more about both courses here: https://www.cbdc.org.uk/get-involved/cumbria-ecoskills/
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
2View on Facebook
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreFriday, August 15th, 2025 at 6:27am
We've just sent out our August newsletter - packed with Cumbrian wildlife recording and nature-related information.

If you haven't subscribed, you can still pick it up from our website - see the 'newsletter' page!
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
View on Facebook
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreMonday, June 30th, 2025 at 1:47am
We're looking for a Seasonal Field Officer to join the County Wildlife Sites Project team - could this be you?
Applications must be received by 9am tomorrow (1st July).

https://www.cbdc.org.uk/about-us/job-vacancies/
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
1View on Facebook
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreSunday, June 29th, 2025 at 9:35pm
Thank you to everyone who took part in Cumbria Wild Watch 2025! Without records from individual recorders, our understanding of the wildlife of Cumbria would be far less complete.

#CumbriaWildWatch #Cumbria #30dayswild
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
View on Facebook
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
Cumbria Biodiversity Data CentreSaturday, June 28th, 2025 at 9:12pm
Fourth and final day of Cumbria Wild Watch - so if you haven't recorded anything yet - now is the time!
Wherever you are in Cumbria, please record (and submit your records) the wildlife around you.
CBDC will join Wild for Wigton at Throstle Park in Wigton from 10am to record the park and to share information on wildlife recording so do come along!

https://www.cbdc.org.uk/get-involved/cumbria-wild-watch/

#CumbriaWildWatch #Cumbria #30dayswild
Cumbria Biodiversity Data Centre
1View on Facebook