Their long narrow shells are a common sight on our shores, especially after storms, but the animals themselves live buried in the sand.

This streaky brown bird is a winter visitor, occasionally found walking around the muddy margins of marshes.

This dashing diving duck is a winter visitor to the UK's seas, coastal lakes and occasionally inland water bodies.

A king among birds, the goldcrest displays a beautiful golden crown. Our smallest bird, it can be spotted in conifer woodlands and parks across the UK.

A low-growing plant of sand dunes, heaths and grassy places, Common centaury is in bloom over summer. Look for clusters of pretty, pink, five-petalled flowers.

Found along the coast all year-round, the dunlin is a small sandpiper that breeds and winters in the UK. It can be seen in its upland breeding grounds in summer, when it turns brick-red above and…

The streamlined black-throated diver is a superb swimmer and diver, but not so graceful on land! During the summer, the distinctive black patch on its throat appears, heralding the breeding season…