Where to find wildlife
Where to find wildlife
Search
Search
Celebrating wetlands – where land meets water
We may be a ‘wet’ nation, but wetlands – wildlife-rich, carbon-capturing oases – are in shorter supply than you might think. Wetlands have largely been removed from our landscape, and this loss is…
Where have the birds gone?
After a busy spring of singing their hearts out, building nests and raising a brood or more of hungry chicks, summer can be a quiet time for birds. Looking out your window at your garden bird…
Where have the butterflies gone?
If you have been on a walk out in nature this summer, through your nearest nature reserve or down your local park, you might have noticed something missing. A lack of insects. The usual buzz from…
Where there’s water there’s wildlife: create your pond habitat and watch wildlife return
Within just two weeks of adding a pond to your garden you may see birds taking a bath, hedgehogs stopping for a drink, frogs and toads and their unsual looking spawn and dragonflies searching for…
Wading into autumn
For many birdwatchers things are just hotting up! We might have reached the end of summer, but this is when a group of birds known as waders start to appear on our shores. Here are ten waders to…
Water spider
There are several species of spider that live in our wetlands, but the water spider is the only one that spends its life under the water. In its pond habitats, it looks silvery because of the air…
Water scorpion
The water scorpion is not a true scorpion, but it certainly looks like one! An underwater predator, it uses its front pincer-like legs to catch its prey. Its tail actually acts as a kind of '…
Water shrew
The large, dark grey water shrew lives mostly in wetland habitats. It's a good swimmer that hunts for aquatic insects and burrows into the banks.
Water figwort
Water figwort is a tall plant of riverbanks, pond margins, damp meadows and wet woodlands. Its maroon flowers are pollinated by the Common wasp.
Water dock
As its name suggests, Water dock likes damp places, such as the egdes of canals, ponds and rivers. It is a tall plant with large, greenish flower spikes.
Water avens
Look for Water avens in damp habitats, such as riversides, wet woodlands and wet meadows. It has nodding, purple-and-orange flowers that hang on delicate, purple stems.