Cormorant
19 January 2020
Cormorants are supremely skilled at catching fish and will dive to depths of six metres or more in pursuit of their prey, staying submerged for a good 30 seconds before coming up for air.
Archive of: Charlotte Owen
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Starlings
12 January 2020
Starlings spectacular star-studded winter plumage develops a glossy sheen of sumptuous purple and green iridescence for the breeding season, glistening with galactic colour.
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Turning over a new stone
10 January 2020
The Turnstone is an expert in its field, named after its most obvious behaviour of turning stones to look for hidden prey.
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Footprints
27 December 2019
Footprints in mud or snow reveal the secretive creatures that have recently passed by
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Natural traditions
26 December 2019
We all have our favourite Christmas traditions, and many of the oldest and best-known have nature at their heart. From boughs of holly to bunches of mistletoe, potted Poinsettias and evergreen wreathes, millions of us have been re-wilding our homes for the festive season by bringing the outdoors in.
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Fly Agaric
22 December 2019
Fly Agaric was certainly common on Christmas cards in Victorian and Edwardian times, when it was seen as a symbol of good luck.
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Snow Bunting
17 December 2019
The Snow Bunting, the planet’s toughest songbird, living in the Arctic Circle for much of the year. In the winter, you may be lucky enough to spot one of these plucky birds on a Sussex beach.
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The naming of things
11 December 2019
Nomenclature is the science of naming, with rules and systems for organising species and giving each one an official two-part title. But there is also an art to the naming of things and often a sense of magic, especially when it comes to common names. These are bestowed by everyday people with no rulebook in sight, and are often steeped in folklore.
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Chaffinch
02 December 2019
The chaffinch can claim the title of commonest finch, and the male could easily vie for most colourful too.
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Wood Pigeon
25 November 2019
They’re big, they’re loud and they’re everywhere – but most of us wouldn’t give a wood pigeon a second glance. But pigeons are far from boring, and even the commonest creatures have their secrets.
