Mothers in Nature
For Mother's Day, we’re celebrating all the incredible mums in the animal kingdom! From marine mammals to insects, each has a unique way of raising their young.
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Chwilio
My birding
A couple of years ago Nick took the plunge and bought into a bird watching holiday company, and at a stroke his hobby became his livelihood.
Common chickweed
Look for the small, white, star-shaped flowers of Common chickweed all year-round. Sometimes considered a 'weed', it is still a valuable food source for insects.
Creeping thistle
Despite being considered a 'weed' of cultivated ground, the seeds of the Creeping thistle provide an important food source for farmland birds, many of which are declining rapidly.
My commute
Richard could stick to the road on his commute, but taking a shortcut through the woods is far more relaxing, even if he does get muddy trousers.
Yorkshire-fog
The soft, downy look of Yorkshire-fog makes it an attractive plant, even if it is considered a weed of cultivated land! It is also attractive to the caterpillars of the Small Skipper butterfly as…
Upland spring, flush and fen
These tiny habitats, the source of our streams and rivers, are fundamental to the well-being of whole water catchments.
Purple emperor
The male purple emperor is a stunning butterfly with a brilliant purple sheen. Look for it feeding around the treetops in woodlands, or on damp ground, animal droppings or even carrion in the…
Ringlet
The ringlet gets its name from the small rings on the undersides of its wings. These rings show variation in the different forms of this species, even elongating into a teardrop shape.
Speckled wood
The speckled wood prefers the dappled sunlight of woodland rides and edges, hedgerows and even gardens. Despite declines, its range has spread over recent years.
Golden-ringed dragonfly
A voracious predator that will even eat other dragonflies, the golden-ringed dragonfly is the UK's longest species. It can be found around acidic streams in moorland and heathland habitats.…
Hermit crab
If you spot a crawling shell next time you're at the seaside, take a closer look… it might be a hermit crab!