The tiny, brown-and-white sand martin is a common summer visitor to the UK, nesting in colonies on rivers, lakes and flooded gravel pits. It returns to Africa in winter.

As its name suggests, the house martin can be spotted nesting in the eaves of houses in our towns and villages. Its intricate mud nests take days to build and are often returned to and used in…

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!

This strange furry creature often found washed ashore after storms is actually a kind of worm!

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