Common backswimmer
The fearsome common backswimmer hunts insects, tadpoles and fish. It uses its oar-like legs to swim upside-down under the water's surface where unsuspecting prey can be found.
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Chwilio
Common spike-rush
Forming mats of straight, bright green stems, Common spike-rush does, indeed, look like lots of tightly clustered 'spikes' near the water's edge of our wetland habitats.
Great reedmace
Great reedmace is familiar to many of us as the archetypal 'bulrush'. Look for its tall stems, sausage-like, brown flower heads and green, flat leaves at the water's edge in our…
Risso’s dolphin
Risso’s dolphins are mysterious creatures usually only found in deep, offshore waters.
Large red damselfly
If you have a garden pond, look out for the large red damselfly resting at the water's edge. As the name suggests, males are bright red with a black thorax, but females may be almost entirely…
Chalk rivers
Cool, crystal-clear waters flow over gravelly beds, streaming through white-flowered water-crowfoot and watercress in serene lowland landscapes.
Shore rockling
These large rocky shore fish look like they belong in deeper waters, but they are the find of the day for any rockpooler!
Nature Recovery Updates
Our Conservation Officer, Alice, gives us an update on water vole and red squirrel conservation work happening in South & West Wales.
Gem (or wartlet) anemone
Not to be confused with the ‘jewel anemone’ which resides in deeper waters, the gem anemone is just as wonderful a find on the rocky shore!
Lesser weever fish
One of the only venomous fish to be found in British waters, the lesser weever fish is certainly one to watch out for!
My passion
Chris is the Southern Reserves Manager at Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and leads a team of staff, wardens and volunteers in caring for our nature reserves in the South of Nottinghamshire. This…
Slender groundhopper
This stocky relative of grasshoppers is found on damp ground close to water.