Look out for the white, umbrella-like flower heads of lesser water-parsnip along the shallow margins of ditches, ponds, lakes and rivers. When crushed, it does, indeed, smell like parsnip!

Although, commonly referred to as a ‘sea snail,’ this species in fact belongs to the fish family!

This small, round sea urchin is (unsurprisingly!) green in colour and can be found on rocky shores around the UK.

This colonial creature looks like an old-fashioned quill - that's where the name sea pen comes from.

The black sea bream really is a fascinating fish. From sex changes to nest building, this fish is full of surprises!

The lightbulb sea squirt is common around much of the UK. Its easy to see where its name came from!

Living up to its name, the shoveler has a large and distinctive shovel-like bill which it uses to feed at the surface of the water. It breeds in small numbers in the UK, but is widespread in…

Living up to its name, the red-tailed bumblebee is black with a big, red 'tail'.

These little critters are related to the woodlice you find in your garden and play a very important role on rocky shores.

These mat like growths found on kelp and seaweed are actually colonies of tiny individuals animals.