The NatureSpot team have been wondering what you've been up to during lockdown, and it turns out you've been busy. More...

Records of new species never seen before in Leicestershire and Rutland are rolling in. However, measuring the direct impact of lockdown is difficult. NatureSpot records show a highly seasonal activity pattern - for obvious reasons, we get a lot more records in April than in February, and a sunny week produces much more activity than a wet one. The best we can do therefore is to make the direct comparison with last year, and this shows how much activity has increased.

• The total number of site users has increased by 71%.
• The number of new users has gone up by 75%.
• The number of sessions (site visits) is up by 69%.
• The total number of pageviews has increased by 60%.

Not many of us would choose lockdown over normal life, but even with movement restrictions, it's possible that one positive outcome may be a lasting increase in the scientific record due to all your hard work.

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