To turn an observation of wildlife into a scientifically valid biological record we need to know four key pieces of information:

The UK is unique in the world in having an almost contiguous network of Local Biological Records Centres to collect, collate, store and disseminate biodiversity information.  This is perhaps a result of our rich history of amateur natural historians.  People like Charles Darwin sought to collect and understand the wildlife they saw around them, keeping detailed records of what they saw, where and when.  It is only through recording wildlife that we can see when changes happen in our environment, whether this occurs in our towns or the countryside.