I wanted to talk about grid references, they are very important when it comes to wildlife records as it lets us know exactly where the sighting was so that it can be accurately recorded and mapped. But it can be a tricky thing to get right so thought I would share a couple of ways you can get an accurate grid reference.
To find a grid reference on a map on your PC or phone you can access OS maps online here..
Then if you click on the Grid ref button at the top right and where the cross shaped curser is placed is the shown grid ref. We would like a 6 digit grid ref so you would take the 2 letters and first 3 numbers from each group. I have posted a screen shot to show you…
The second way is via an App on your smartphone. I’m sure there are many free apps out there that can do this which you can search for and download from your app store.
I have the GRID OS FREE app on my phone. It doesn’t show a map but gives you a 6 digit grid ref of where you are standing, which is great for when you are recording when you are out and about.
Shetland Community Wildlife Group 