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

Similar to the common backswimmer, the lesser water boatman has oar-like legs to help it swim, but it does not swim upside-down. It is herbivorous and can be found at the surface of ponds, lakes…

This elegant wading bird is a rare visitor to the UK, though occasionally one or two of pairs will nest here.

This distinctive bug is often seen basking on low-growing plants in spring and summer.

The lesser-black backed gull can be spotted around the coast in summer, with the biggest colony on Walney Island, Cumbria. Look for it over fields, landfill sites and reservoirs during winter.

This enormous water beetle is as rare as it is impressive.