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  • Micrommata virescens. Mating pair showing male palpal bulb expanding as sperm on pumped from the palp to the female's epigyne
    155685.jpg
  • Mating Stag Beetles - Lucanus cervus
    153636.jpg
  • Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina Wingspan 50mm. Britain’s most familiar and widespread grassland butterfly. Adult has brown upperwings; male has a small orange patch on the forewing containing eyespot; orange patch is larger in female. Underside of hindwing is brown with a grey-brown band; forewing is orange and buff with an eyespot. Flies June-Aug. Larva feeds on grasses and is nocturnal. Generally common throughout the region but least so in northern Scotland and Ireland. Favours a wide range of grassland habitats.
    144968.jpg
  • Large Copper - Lycaena dispar batavus
    144938.jpg
  • Six-spot burnet Zygaena filipendulae Length 16-18mm. Well-marked and distinctive day-flying moth. Adult has dark forewings (with a greenish-blue iridescence at certain angles) and six red spots; hindwings are red with a dark border. Larva is yellow with black spots; feeds on Bird’s-foot Trefoil. Pupates in a yellow cocoon attached to plant stem. Widespread and locally common in grassland habitats.
    140740.jpg
  • Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus Wingspan 30mm. A tiny grassland butterfly that invariably rests with its wings closed; upperwings are almost never revealed. Underside of forewing is orange with an eyespot; hindwing is marbled grey, brown and buff. Double-brooded: flies May–June and August–September. Larva feeds on grasses and is nocturnal. Widespread but locally common only in southern England; range has contracted because it is restricted to unimproved grassland and does not tolerate modern agricultural practices.
    145017.jpg
  • Six-spot burnet Zygaena filipendulae Length 16-18mm. Well-marked and distinctive day-flying moth. Adult has dark forewings (with a greenish-blue iridescence at certain angles) and six red spots; hindwings are red with a dark border. Larva is yellow with black spots; feeds on Bird’s-foot Trefoil. Pupates in a yellow cocoon attached to plant stem. Widespread and locally common in grassland habitats.
    134841.jpg
  • Hornet Moth Sesia apiformis Wingspan 35-45mm. Strikingly colourful day-flying moth that is passable mimic of a true Hornet, in terms of appearance and behaviour. Adult has yellow and black bands on body and orange-framed clear wings. Flies June-July. Larva burrows inside wood of Black Poplar. Pupal remains and newly-emerged adults are sometimes found on trunks. Local and mainly in southern and central England.
    134362.jpg
  • Silver-washed Fritillary Argynnis paphia Wingspan 60mm. An iconic woodland butterfly associated with sunny rides and clearing; adults are often seen feeding on flowers of Bramble and thistles. Adult has orange-brown upperwings with black markings; underside of hindwing has silvery sheen. Flies June–August. Larva feed on violets.  Status Locally common woodland species in S and SW England and Ireland.
    127436.jpg
  • Winter Moth Operophtera brumata Wingspan 22-26mm. The classic moth of winter, whose rounded wings (only males have wings) are held flat at rest. Often seen flying in car headlights, or found resting on walls near outside lights. To see wingless female, look for mating pairs by torchlight on foodplant. Adult male has grey-brown wings with concentric cross lines. Flies November–February. Larva feeds on most deciduous trees and shrubs. Widespread and common.
    120914.jpg
  • Common Frog Rana temporaria Length 6-10cm Widespread amphibian. Adult male has smooth, moist skin. Usually olive-yellow or greyish brown with variable dark blotching and spots. Darker red animals occur in uplands. Eye has yellow iris with dark, oval pupil. Dark mask runs from eye to eardrum. Underparts are greyish white with faint darker marbling. Hind feet have five webbed toes. In breeding season, acquires bluish throat and swollen nuptial pads on innermost digit of front feet, used for gripping female when mating. Adult female is similar but larger with white granulations on the flanks. Juvenile, when newly metamorphosed resembles miniature adult but with large head. Male utters low-pitched croaking calls when courting. Found in a wide range of habitats if still water is present for breeding. Easy to see in early spring when courting.
    144202.jpg
  • Black Tern - Chlidonias niger
    153827.jpg
  • Black Tern - Chlidonias niger
    153832.jpg
  • Small Blue Cupido minimus Wingspan 25mm. Britain’s smallest butterfly; extremely active in sunshine, lethargic on overcast days. Adults have smoky-brown upperwings, those of males having a purplish iridescence; underwings of both sexes are grey with small black dots. Flies June–July. Larva is grub-like and feeds on Kidney Vetch. Very locally common in England, Wales and southern Ireland; usually associated with chalk grassland because of  larval foodplant’s requirements.
    145010.jpg
  • Gatekeeper Pyronia tithonus Wingspan 40mm. A classic hedgerow and wayside butterfly, and a sign that summer has arrived; often feeds on Bramble flowers. Adult has brown upperwings with broad orange patches and an eyespot with twin highlights on the forewing. Underside of hindwing is marbled brown and buffish-white; forewing has large orange patch with an eyespot. Flies July–Aug. Larva feeds on grasses and is nocturnal. Locally common in central and southern England and Wales, and southern Ireland.
    140226.jpg
  • Ringlet Aphantopus hyperantus Wingspan 48mm. A distinctively dark grassland butterfly. Adult has sooty-brown wings that are darker in males than females; both upper and lower wings are marked with eyespots but the size and number are variable. Flies June–July. Larva feeds on grasses and is strictly nocturnal. Widespread and fairly common in Britain and Ireland as far north as southern Scotland. Associated with a wide range of grassland habitats.
    140172.jpg
  • Lunar Hornet Clearwing - Sesia bembeciformis
    134497.jpg
  • Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina Wingspan 25mm. A tiny butterfly, unrelated to true fritillary butterflies. Flight is rapid and buzzing. Adult has upperwings that are beautifully patterned with orange and brown; underwings, particularly hindwings, have striking white spots. Flies May–June. Larva is brown and is nocturnal; feeds mainly on Cowslip but also Primrose. Local and declining, confined to chalk downs in southern England where larval foodplants grow.
    133840.jpg
  • Green-veined White Pieris napi  Wingspan 45-50mm. Adult recalls a Small White but has striking veins on wings: these are dark on upperwings, and greyish-green on underwings. Double-brooded: adult flies in spring and again in mid-summer. Larva is green with tiny white spots; feeds on Hedge Mustard, Garlic Mustard and related plants. Locally common, sometimes seen in gardens, but mainly associated with verges and open margins and rides in woodland.
    102310.jpg
  • Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis Length 16-19cm Bulky lizard. Hibernates Sept-Mar. Females lay eggs. Sexes are dissimilar. Adult male has relatively large head. Ground colour of back is typically buffish brown but note three rows of white-centred dark spots along length of body. Head and flanks are flushed bright green in spring and summer. Adult female has smaller head and more bulky body than male. Ground colour is pale to rich brown with three longitudinal rows of eyespots. Juvenile recalls a small, slender adult female with eyespots on back and flanks. In Britain (where protected by law), restricted to heathland sites in Dorset and Surrey, and coastal sand dunes in Merseyside.
    100499.jpg
  • Common Frog Rana temporaria Length 6-10cm Widespread amphibian. Adult male has smooth, moist skin. Usually olive-yellow or greyish brown with variable dark blotching and spots. Darker red animals occur in uplands. Eye has yellow iris with dark, oval pupil. Dark mask runs from eye to eardrum. Underparts are greyish white with faint darker marbling. Hind feet have five webbed toes. In breeding season, acquires bluish throat and swollen nuptial pads on innermost digit of front feet, used for gripping female when mating. Adult female is similar but larger with white granulations on the flanks. Juvenile, when newly metamorphosed resembles miniature adult but with large head. Male utters low-pitched croaking calls when courting. Found in a wide range of habitats if still water is present for breeding. Easy to see in early spring when courting.
    107034.jpg
  • Common Toad Bufo bufo Length 5-9cm A widespread toad; the only common species in Britain. Skin is covered in toxin-containing warts. Spawn is laid in double-rowed spawn strings. Gait consists of short hops. Adult is olive-brown to greenish buff (hue is influenced by ambient light). Has red iris and webbed hind feet. Female is larger than male. Juvenile recalls a tiny, large-headed adult. Courting male utters croaking calls in spring. More terrestrial than most other amphibians and adults spend much of their lives on land:  woodland, scrub, grassland and moors are favoured. Must return to water to breed and most are found within 2km or so of suitable ponds. Not deterred by fish: tadpole’ toxic skin acts as deterrent to predation. Observation tips Courting is easy to watch in suitable ponds in spring (February-March are typical months). Sometimes found hibernating under logs in winter.
    108275.jpg
  • Common Frog Rana temporaria Length 6-10cm Widespread amphibian. Adult male has smooth, moist skin. Usually olive-yellow or greyish brown with variable dark blotching and spots. Darker red animals occur in uplands. Eye has yellow iris with dark, oval pupil. Dark mask runs from eye to eardrum. Underparts are greyish white with faint darker marbling. Hind feet have five webbed toes. In breeding season, acquires bluish throat and swollen nuptial pads on innermost digit of front feet, used for gripping female when mating. Adult female is similar but larger with white granulations on the flanks. Juvenile, when newly metamorphosed resembles miniature adult but with large head. Male utters low-pitched croaking calls when courting. Found in a wide range of habitats if still water is present for breeding. Easy to see in early spring when courting.
    128112.jpg
  • Common Frog Rana temporaria Length 6-10cm Widespread amphibian. Adult male has smooth, moist skin. Usually olive-yellow or greyish brown with variable dark blotching and spots. Darker red animals occur in uplands. Eye has yellow iris with dark, oval pupil. Dark mask runs from eye to eardrum. Underparts are greyish white with faint darker marbling. Hind feet have five webbed toes. In breeding season, acquires bluish throat and swollen nuptial pads on innermost digit of front feet, used for gripping female when mating. Adult female is similar but larger with white granulations on the flanks. Juvenile, when newly metamorphosed resembles miniature adult but with large head. Male utters low-pitched croaking calls when courting. Found in a wide range of habitats if still water is present for breeding. Easy to see in early spring when courting.
    145059.jpg
  • Common Toad - Bufo bufo
    163382.jpg
  • Speckled Pigeon - Columba guinea
    163016.jpg
  • Great Egret - Ardea alba
    160569.jpg
  • Purple Hairstreak - Neozephyrus quercus - pupa. Wingspan 38mm. A rather enigmatic butterfly that can be hard to observe closely. As an adult it usually remains close to the top of the mature tree where its life-cycle began. Lives in colonies. Adults have brown upperwings; males have purple sheen on both wings, in females it is restricted to hindwings. Underwings are grey with hairstreak line. Larva is brown and rather slug-like; feeds on oak buds. Widespread but locally common only in southern England and Wales.
    157506.jpg
  • Pacific Loon - Gavia pacifica - summer adult
    150784.jpg
  • Short-beaked Common - Dolphin Delphinus delphis. Length 1.8-2.3m Our most regularly encountered dolphin. Gregarious, living in schools of 10s or 100s of animals. Adult is streamlined, with pattern of overlapping stripes and bands of pigmentation. Body is overall dark grey above and whitish below with broad, tapering yellow band on flanks from eye and mouth to just behind dorsal fin; grey band continues along flanks towards tail. Overall, yellow and grey patches resemble an hourglass. Flippers are narrow and black, with a black line running forward from base to throat. Dorsal fin is broadly triangular and curved backwards slightly.
    156908.jpg
  • Mute Swan - Cygnus olor L 150-160cm. Large, distinctive water bird and a familiar sight. Swimming birds hold long neck in an elegant curve. Family groups are a feature of lowland lakes in spring. Typically tolerant of people. In flight, shallow, powerful wingbeats produce and characteristic, throbbing whine. Sexes are similar but bill’s basal knob is largest in males. Adult has white plumage although crown may have orange-buff suffusion. Bill is orange-red with black base. Juvenile has grubby grey-brown plumage and dull pinkish grey bill. Voice Mostly silent. Status Our commonest swan; the only resident species. Found on freshwater habitats besides which it nests; in winter, also on sheltered coasts.
    156881.jpg
  • Bee-eater - Merops apiaster L 26-29cm.Stunning bird that catches insects in flight. Sometimes perches on dead branches. Sexes are similar. Adult has chestnut crown and nape, grading to yellow on back and rump; uppertail is green and note 2 projecting central tail feathers. Underparts are blue except for black-bordered yellow throat. In flight, wings are chestnut and blue above. Juvenile is duller and lacks tail projections. Voice Utters a bubbling pruuupp call. Status Has bred here but best known as a rare migrant visitor in spring and autumn.
    156813.jpg
  • Bee-eater Merops apiaster L 26-29cm.Stunning bird that catches insects in flight. Sometimes perches on dead branches. Sexes are similar. Adult has chestnut crown and nape, grading to yellow on back and rump; uppertail is green and note 2 projecting central tail feathers. Underparts are blue except for black-bordered yellow throat. In flight, wings are chestnut and blue above. Juvenile is duller and lacks tail projections. Voice Utters a bubbling pruuupp call. Status Has bred here but best known as a rare migrant visitor in spring and autumn.
    156814.jpg
  • Bee-eater Merops apiaster L 26-29cm.Stunning bird that catches insects in flight. Sometimes perches on dead branches. Sexes are similar. Adult has chestnut crown and nape, grading to yellow on back and rump; uppertail is green and note 2 projecting central tail feathers. Underparts are blue except for black-bordered yellow throat. In flight, wings are chestnut and blue above. Juvenile is duller and lacks tail projections. Voice Utters a bubbling pruuupp call. Status Has bred here but best known as a rare migrant visitor in spring and autumn.
    156815.jpg
  • Bee-eater Merops apiaster L 26-29cm.Stunning bird that catches insects in flight. Sometimes perches on dead branches. Sexes are similar. Adult has chestnut crown and nape, grading to yellow on back and rump; uppertail is green and note 2 projecting central tail feathers. Underparts are blue except for black-bordered yellow throat. In flight, wings are chestnut and blue above. Juvenile is duller and lacks tail projections. Voice Utters a bubbling pruuupp call. Status Has bred here but best known as a rare migrant visitor in spring and autumn.
    156816.jpg
  • Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia L 70-80cm. Unmistakable. Flattened, spoon-shaped bill is swept from side-to-side in shallow water to catch small fish and crustaceans. Sleeps with bill tucked under wings - confusion with Little Egret possible. Sexes are similar. Adult has whitish plumage and black bill with yellow tip; in breeding season, has crest and base of bill and breast are flushed yellow. Juvenile is similar but legs and bill are dull pink. Voice Mostly silent. Status Scarce nesting species and non-breeding visitor from mainland Europe. Most records are coastal.
    156751.jpg
  • Chalkhill Blue - Polyommatus coridon - mating pair. Wingspan 40mm. Iconic downland butterfly, males of which are a unique colour amongst British blues. Adult male has pale sky-blue upperwings; female’s are dark brown with orange submarginal spots. Underwings of both sexes are grey-brown with spots. Flies July–August. Larva feeds on Horseshoe Vetch; sometimes discovered at dusk being attended by ants. Very local and restricted to chalk and limestone grassland in southern England.
    156597.jpg
  • Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus W 70-85cm. Skims low over sea on stiffly held wings. Contrasting dark upperparts and mainly white underparts are seen as bird banks and glides. Gregarious when feeding is good. Sexes are similar. Adult has blackish upperparts and mainly white underparts with dark wing margins. Juvenile is similar to adult. Voice Silent at sea; strangled coughing calls uttered after dark when nesting birds. Status Fairly common summer visitor. Seen mostly at sea; only visits land to breed, after dark. Nests in burrows on remote islands.
    156207.jpg
  • American Golden Plover - Pluvialis dominica - Mating pair
    146050.jpg
  • Macaronesian Shearwater - Puffinus baroli
    155753.jpg
  • Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus L 36-38cm. Similar to Black-headed but has stouter bill; adult has uniformly pale wings. Sexes are similar. Adult in summer has pale grey back and wing coverts, and white flight feathers. Note black hood and white ‘eyelids’; bill is mainly red, with yellow tip and black sub-terminal band. Legs are deep red. In winter, loses dark hood; whitish head has menacing look created by dark smudges. Juvenile has grey-brown upperparts with pale margins to back feathers. Note darkish flush on breast. Bill and legs are dark; tail has dark terminal band. 1st winter bird is similar to juvenile but with plain grey back and dark smudges on head. Adult plumage is acquired by 3rd winter. 2nd year bird resembles adult (at respective times of year) but with variable black in wingtips. Voice Utters cow-cow-cow call. Status Very locally common, usually with Black-headeds. Small numbers nest in S England. More widespread outside breeding season.
    155785.jpg
  • Greylag Goose Anser anser L 75-90cm. Largest Anser goose and only one that breeds in Britain. Feral populations confuse species’ wild status. Compared to other ‘grey’ geese, bulky and more uniformly grey-brown. Pink legs and heavy, pinkish orange bill help with identification. In flight, pale forewings, rump and tail contrast with darker flight feathers. Sexes are similar. Adult is greyish with dark lines on side of neck, barring on flanks and pale margins to back feathers. Bill is pale-tipped. Juvenile is more uniformly grey-brown than adult and bill lacks pale tip. Voice Utters loud, honking calls. Status Locally common resident, mainly in N. Wild migrants boost numbers in winter. Favours wetlands and reservoirs with adjacent grassland.
    155588.jpg
  • Dunlin and other waders feeding on the mudflats at dusk
    155596.jpg
  • Teal Anas crecca L 34-38cm. Our smallest duck. Forms flocks outside breeding season. Often nervous and flighty. In flight, both sexes show white-bordered green speculum. Sexes are otherwise dissimilar. Adult male has chestnut-orange head with yellow-bordered green patch through eye. Plumage is otherwise finely marked grey except for black-bordered yellow stern and horizontal white line along flanks. Bill is dark grey. In eclipse, resembles adult female. Adult female has mottled grey-brown plumage. Bill is grey with hint of yellow at base. Juvenile is similar to adult female but warmer buff. Voice Male utters a ringing whistle, female utters a soft quack. Status Associated with water. Nests in small numbers beside pools and bogs mainly in N. Locally common outside breeding season on freshwater marshes, estuaries and mudflats.
    155416.jpg
  • Feral Goat Capra hircus Shoulder height 60-90cm Familiar domesticated animal. Feral populations established in several locations. Sure-footed on steep, broken terrain. Adult Feral Goat is shorter and stockier than domesticated forms. Coat is long, shaggy and variably coloured, often piebald mixture of grey, black and whitish. Male (billy) is larger and bulkier than female (nanny) and has recurved, ringed horns that increase in size with age. Many have a ‘beard’ and tassles on chin. Female is smaller than male, with shorter horns. Juvenile (kid) lacks horns. Voice Utters a warning whistle. Females summon their kids by bleating. Domesticated for more than 10,000 years, prized for its hair, milk, hide and meat. Probably brought to Britain by first Neolithic human settlers.
    155471.jpg
  • Black-winged Pratincole - Glareola nordmanni
    155322.jpg
  • Lesser Kestrel - Falco naumanni - Mating pair
    155220.jpg
  • Lesser Kestrel - Falco naumanni - Mating pair
    155221.jpg
  • Evarca arcuata - Two males sparring over female spun up in leaf. Salticidae. A species of lowland wet heath.
    155132.jpg
  • Black Tern - Chlidonias niger
    153822.jpg
  • Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus L 25-28cm. Our smallest gull. Has buoyant, tern-like flight. Sexes are similar. Adult in summer has pale grey upperwings with white wingtips, dark hood, dark bill and short, reddish legs. In flight, upperwings have white trailing edge and rounded white wingtip; underwings are dark with white trailing edge. In winter, similar but loses dark hood; otherwise white head has dark smudges on crown and ear coverts. Juvenile has striking black bar (forming letter ‘W’) on upperwings and back. Note dark markings on mantle, nape and ear coverts, and dark tail band; plumage is otherwise white. 1st winter is similar to juvenile but back is pale grey, hence dark bar is seen only on wings. Adult plumage acquired over next 2 years. Voice Utters a sharp kyeck call. Status Regular but scarce passage migrant and winter visitor; mainly coastal.
    154053.jpg
  • Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena L 40-45cm. Smaller and more stocky than Great Crested, with striking summer plumage. Note diagnostic yellow-based bill. White wing panels seen in flight. Sexes are similar. Adult in summer has red neck and upper breast; head has white-bordered pale grey cheeks and black cap. Upperparts otherwise grey-brown and underparts whitish with grey streaks on flanks. In winter, loses neck colours but often retains hint of reddish collar. Cheek pattern is less well defined and ear coverts are grubby. Juvenile is similar to winter adult with more extensive red on neck. Voice Mostly silent. Status Scarce winter visitor to sheltered inshore seas and estuaries; occasional on inland lakes and reservoirs.
    154134.jpg
  • Zino's Petrel - Pterodroma madeira
    154222.jpg
  • Jackdaw Corvus monedula in flight. L 31-34cm. Our most familiar small corvid. Has a swaggering walk and is aerobatic in flight. Forms large flocks outside breeding season. Sexes are similar. Adult has smoky-grey plumage, darkest on wings and crown, pale blue-grey eye and grey nape. Juvenile is similar but plumage is tinged brownish and eye is duller. Voice Utters a characteristic chack call. Status Widespread and common resident of farmland, sea cliffs, towns and villages.
    153763.jpg
  • Two-spotted Goby Gobiusculus flavescens L to 6cm<br />
Well-marked fish that spends more time swimming in water column than most other gobies. Found among seaweeds and eelgrass beds in shallow water. Aduklt has rather streamlined body, marbled brown and buff with blue spots and pale dorsal patches. Typically there is a dark spot at base of tail; male has 2nd dark spot behind pectoral fin. Locally common except along E coast.
    142956.jpg
  • Southern Elephant Seal Mirounga leonina Length 2-3m, weight 400-850kg Massive seal. Male is up to four times larger than female, with distinctive proboscis. Breeds on Sub-Antarctic islands, notably South Georgia.
    132251.jpg
  • Bactrian Camel Camelus bactrianus Shoulder height to 2.2m Large, sturdy ungulate with two humps. Native range is steppes of central Asia but also widely domesticated.
    132830.jpg
  • Sika Deer Cervus nippon Shoulder height 70-90cm Has body proportions of Fallow Deer but pointed antlers like Red Deer. Adult is reddish brown with whitish spots in summer, dark grey-brown in winter. Rump is whitish with black margin; tail is white with dark median line above. Male’s antlers appear in spring, mature in autumn, and are shed in winter Number of antler points increases with age. Calf is reddish brown with whitish spots. Male utters blood-curdling screams during autumn rut. Introduced to Britain from Far East. Feral populations exist in several parts of the region. Favours wooded country. Mainly nocturnal.
    133444.jpg
  • Sika Deer Cervus nippon Shoulder height 70-90cm Has body proportions of Fallow Deer but pointed antlers like Red Deer. Adult is reddish brown with whitish spots in summer, dark grey-brown in winter. Rump is whitish with black margin; tail is white with dark median line above. Male’s antlers appear in spring, mature in autumn, and are shed in winter Number of antler points increases with age. Calf is reddish brown with whitish spots. Male utters blood-curdling screams during autumn rut. Introduced to Britain from Far East. Feral populations exist in several parts of the region. Favours wooded country. Mainly nocturnal.
    135627.jpg
  • Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus Length 7-10cm Our smallest land mammal. Active throughout the 24hr period. Hunts invertebrates mainly at ground level, but also climbs well and sometimes found in bird boxes. Adult has dense fur; dark brown on upperparts and flanks, contrastingly pale greyish on underparts. Note the pointed, whiskered snout, and small, beady eyes; ears partly hidden by fur. Tail is long relative to body length. Utters high-pitched squeaks. Widespread and common in woodland margins, hedgerows, meadows and moors.
    136541.jpg
  • Polar Bear Ursus maritimus Length 2.5-3m, weight 350-650kg The largest land predator, quite capable of competent swimming. Fur is white, often stained yellowish. Feeds mainly on seals and adapted to life associated with pack ice.
    139688.jpg
  • Common Seal Phoca vitulina Length 1.2-1.9m Has a ‘friendly’-looking face. Hauled-out seals are easy to observe. Adult is greyish brown but variably mottled with darker spots. Underside is paler than upperside. Dry coat looks shiny if coated in sand. Bridge of nose has concave outline (convex in Grey Seal) and muzzle is blunt, creating a dog-like appearance. Seen from front, nostrils are close together at base and splayed in V-shaped fashion (separated from, and more parallel to, one another in Grey Seal). Front flippers have claws and powerful hind flippers effect propulsion when swimming. Males are larger and heavier than females. Pup is born with marbled grey-brown coat. Widespread on E coast of England and around Scotland and Ireland generally.
    141316.jpg
  • Goat Capra hircus Shoulder height 60-90cm Familiar domesticated animal. Feral populations established in several locations. Sure-footed on steep, broken terrain. Adult Feral Goat is shorter and stockier than domesticated forms. Coat is long, shaggy and variably coloured, often piebald mixture of grey, black and whitish. Male (billy) is larger and bulkier than female (nanny) and has recurved, ringed horns that increase in size with age. Many have a ‘beard’ and tassles on chin. Female is smaller than male, with shorter horns. Juvenile (kid) lacks horns. Voice Utters a warning whistle. Females summon their kids by bleating. Domesticated for more than 10,000 years, prized for its hair, milk, hide and meat. Probably brought to Britain by first Neolithic human settlers.
    141987.jpg
  • Badger Meles meles Length 65-80cm Distinctive nocturnal mammal. Daytime spent in tunnel complex (a sett). Omnivorous and opportunistic feeders. Facial markings are unmistakable and iconic. Adult has coarse fur, greyish on back and flanks, and blackish on underside and legs. Head is elongated into a snout marked with longitudinal black and white stripes. Legs are short, and blunt tail has a white tip. Mostly silent. Locally common where farmland, meadows and woods occur side by side; also occurs on fringes of suburbia.
    144226.jpg
  • Badger Meles meles Length 65-80cm Distinctive nocturnal mammal. Daytime spent in tunnel complex (a sett). Omnivorous and opportunistic feeders. Facial markings are unmistakable and iconic. Adult has coarse fur, greyish on back and flanks, and blackish on underside and legs. Head is elongated into a snout marked with longitudinal black and white stripes. Legs are short, and blunt tail has a white tip. Mostly silent. Locally common where farmland, meadows and woods occur side by side; also occurs on fringes of suburbia.
    144242.jpg
  • Brown Hare Lepus europaeus Length 50-75cm Rabbit-like mammal but with longer legs and ears. A fast runner; does not burrow. Performs ‘boxing’ displays while courting. Adult has brown coat grizzled with grey and black, especially on back. Coat is thicker, darker and redder in winter than summer. Ears are black-tipped; tail is dark above with pale fringe, and whitish below. Has ‘wild’ looking eyes located high on sides of head. Mostly silent. Has declined due to farming practises and persecution but still locally common on farmland and grassland.
    144255.jpg
  • Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus Length 2.2-3.2m Bulky seal with proportionately large head. Inquisitive in water. Hauls out for long periods. Adult is greyish overall with dark blotchy spots; fewer, larger spots than on Common Seal. Males are larger and darker than females. In profile, looks ‘Roman nosed’: bridge of nose is convex, more pronounced in males than females. From the front, nostrils are distinctly separated and more or less parallel to one another, not V-shaped. Fore flippers have sharp claws and hind flippers propel the animal through water. Pup is born with white fur; moulted after a few weeks.Voice Utters low, moaning calls. Often found on rocky shores and tolerates rough seas heavy waves. Widespread on west coast of Britain and locally in North Sea.
    144308.jpg
  • Northern Bottlenose Whale Hyperoodon ampullatus Length 7-9m Colour is blue-grey to buff and animal has a bulbous, rounded forehead, single blowhole and pronounced beak. It is a deep-water species and under normal circumstances it is seldom seen close to land.
    144338.jpg
  • Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus Length 3-3.5m Large, blunt-nosed and distinctive dolphin. Lives in ‘pods’ of 3-15 animals. Adult greyish brown overall, darkest on dorsal fin, flippers and tail, and palest on face, throat and belly. Older animals become very pale and upper surface is heavily criss-crossed with white scars. Head is blunt-ended and forehead is split down middle – from upper lip to blowhole - by a deep crease. Dorsal fin is tall, pointed and slightly recurved. Flippers are long and narrow and tail fin is broad.
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  • Risso’s Dolphin Grampus griseus Length 3-3.5m Large, blunt-nosed and distinctive dolphin. Lives in ‘pods’ of 3-15 animals. Adult greyish brown overall, darkest on dorsal fin, flippers and tail, and palest on face, throat and belly. Older animals become very pale and upper surface is heavily criss-crossed with white scars. Head is blunt-ended and forehead is split down middle – from upper lip to blowhole - by a deep crease. Dorsal fin is tall, pointed and slightly recurved. Flippers are long and narrow and tail fin is broad.
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  • Juvenile Kittiwake and Juvenile Sabine's Gull in flight demonstrating identification differences in flight.
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  • Knot Calidris canutus L 25cm. Dumpy, robust wader. Forms large flocks in winter. Has white wingbar but otherwise lacks distinctive features in non-breeding plumage. Sexes are similar. Adult in winter has uniform grey upperparts and white underparts. Bill is dark and legs are dull yellowish green. In summer plumage (sometimes seen in late spring or early autumn) has orange-red face, neck and underparts; back is marked with black, red and grey. Legs and bill are dark. Juvenile resembles winter adult but has scaly-looking back and peachy flush to breast. Voice Utters a sharp kwet call. Status Non-breeding visitor to Britain and Ireland. Locally common in winter on estuaries and mudflats.
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  • Greylag Goose Anser anser L 75-90cm. Largest Anser goose and only one that breeds in Britain. Feral populations confuse species’ wild status. Compared to other ‘grey’ geese, bulky and more uniformly grey-brown. Pink legs and heavy, pinkish orange bill help with identification. In flight, pale forewings, rump and tail contrast with darker flight feathers. Sexes are similar. Adult is greyish with dark lines on side of neck, barring on flanks and pale margins to back feathers. Bill is pale-tipped. Juvenile is more uniformly grey-brown than adult and bill lacks pale tip. Voice Utters loud, honking calls. Status Locally common resident, mainly in N. Wild migrants boost numbers in winter. Favours wetlands and reservoirs with adjacent grassland.
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  • Greylag Goose Anser anser L 75-90cm. Largest Anser goose and only one that breeds in Britain. Feral populations confuse species’ wild status. Compared to other ‘grey’ geese, bulky and more uniformly grey-brown. Pink legs and heavy, pinkish orange bill help with identification. In flight, pale forewings, rump and tail contrast with darker flight feathers. Sexes are similar. Adult is greyish with dark lines on side of neck, barring on flanks and pale margins to back feathers. Bill is pale-tipped. Juvenile is more uniformly grey-brown than adult and bill lacks pale tip. Voice Utters loud, honking calls. Status Locally common resident, mainly in N. Wild migrants boost numbers in winter. Favours wetlands and reservoirs with adjacent grassland.
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  • Jackdaw Corvus monedula L 31-34cm. Our most familiar small corvid. Has a swaggering walk and is aerobatic in flight. Forms large flocks outside breeding season. Sexes are similar. Adult has smoky-grey plumage, darkest on wings and crown, pale blue-grey eye and grey nape. Juvenile is similar but plumage is tinged brownish and eye is duller. Voice Utters a characteristic chack call. Status Widespread and common resident of farmland, sea cliffs, towns and villages.
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  • Gannet Morus bassanus W 165-180cm. Our largest seabird. Has deep, powerful wingbeats and glides on stiffly held wings. Bill is large and dagger-like. Dives from a height to catch fish. Sexes are similar. Adult has mainly white plumage with black wingtips; head has buffish wash. Juvenile has dark brown plumage speckled with white dots in first year; adult plumage acquired over next 4 years. Voice Silent at sea; nesting birds utter grating calls. Status Very locally common (3/4 of world population breeds here). Nests colonially but otherwise strictly marine.
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  • Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica L 35-40cm. Large wader with long, slightly upturned bill. Looks shorter-legged than Black-tailed. In flight, note absence of wingbar on upperwing; white rump extends as wedge to lower back and tail is barred. Sexes are dissimilar in summer. Adult male in breeding plumage has reddish orange head, neck and underparts. Back is spangled grey, black and pale buff. Adult female in breeding plumage has buffish orange wash on head, neck and breast, pale belly and greyish back. Winter adult has grey-brown head, neck and upperparts; underparts are pale. Juvenile recalls winter adult but has buffish wash to head, neck and upperparts. Voice Utters a sharp kve-wee call in flight. Status Nests in Arctic; non-breeding visitor to coastal Britain and Ireland.
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  • Shelduck Tadorna tadorna L 55-65cm. Goose-sized duck with bold markings. In poor light, looks black and white. In flight, note contrast between white wing coverts and black flight feathers. Sifts mud for small invertebrates. Nests in burrows. Sexes are separable with care. Adult male is mainly white but with dark green head and upper neck (looks black in poor light), chestnut breast band, black belly stripe and flush of orange-buff under tail. Legs are pink and bill is bright red with knob at base. Adult female is similar but bill’s basal knob is much smaller. Juvenile has mainly buffish grey upperparts and white underparts. Voice Courting male whistles while female’s call is a cackling gagaga… Status Common on most estuaries and mudflats; local at inland freshwater sites. Migrates to favoured sites like Bridgwater Bay in Somerset for summer moult.
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  • Common Tern Sterna hirundo L 35cm. Similar to Arctic Tern but separable with care. Sexes are similar. Adult in summer has grey upperparts, black cap and whitish underparts. Compared to Arctic, note black-tipped orange-red bill, longer red legs, and paler underparts. In flight from below, only inner primaries look translucent and wings have diffuse dark tip. Non-breeding plumage (sometimes seen in late summer) is similar but has white on forehead and dark shoulder bar; bill and legs are dark. Juvenile has white underparts, incomplete dark cap and scaly grey upperparts; in flight from above, leading and trailing edges of inner wing are dark. Voice Utters harsh kreeear call. Status Widespread summer visitor, commonest on coasts; also nests on flooded gravel pits and reservoirs. Widespread coastal passage migrant.
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  • Great Skua Stercorarius skua with Lesser Black-backed Gull. L 48-52cm. Bulky seabird. Gull-like but note large head, dark legs and dark bill. In flight, shows striking white wing patch. Part scavenger, part predator and food parasite of Gannet. Sexes are similar. Adult is brown with buff and golden-brown streaks. Juvenile is uniformly dark brown and rufous. Voice Mostly silent. Status Locally common summer visitor and passage migrant. Nests near seabird colonies in Scotland; Orkney and Shetland are strongholds. Passage birds invariably seen at sea.
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  • Rock Shag - Phalacrocorax magellanicus
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  • Royal Tern - Sterna maxima
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  • Razorbill Alca torda L 41cm. Bulky seabird with distinctive bill and essentially black and white plumage. Swims well and flies on whirring wingbeats. Sexes are similar. Adult in summer has black head, neck and upperparts, and white underparts; note white wingbar. Bill is large and flattened with vertical ridges and white lines. In winter, similar but throat and cheeks are white and bill is smaller. Voice Mostly silent. Status Locally common on rocky coast seabird colonies in W and N. Nests under boulders and in crevices on cliff ledges. Pelagic outside breeding season; healthy birds seldom seen close to land. Vulnerable to oil spills.
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  • Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus W 70-85cm. Skims low over sea on stiffly held wings. Contrasting dark upperparts and mainly white underparts are seen as bird banks and glides. Gregarious when feeding is good. Sexes are similar. Adult has blackish upperparts and mainly white underparts with dark wing margins. Juvenile is similar to adult. Voice Silent at sea; strangled coughing calls uttered after dark when nesting birds. Status Fairly common summer visitor. Seen mostly at sea; only visits land to breed, after dark. Nests in burrows on remote islands.
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  • Stock Dove Columba oenas L 33cm. Similar to Woodpigeon but slimmer proportions and separable using plumage details. Rather solitary but forms flocks outside breeding season. In flight, wings are flicked. Sexes are similar. Adult has blue-grey upperparts and paler grey underparts. Note pinkish maroon flush to breast, iridescent green patch on side of neck; wings have two narrow black bars on upper surface and broad, dark trailing edge. Juvenile is similar but wing bars are faint. Voice During breeding season, utters repetitive oo-u-look call. Status Locally common in lowland, wooded farmland, and arable fields in winter.
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  • Coot Fulica atra L 36-38cm. Robust waterbird, often found with Moorhen. Has lobed toes. Feeds by upending, making shallow dives or grazing waterside vegetation. Gregarious outside breeding season. Sexes are similar. Adult has blackish plumage, darkest on head and neck. Note white bill and frontal shield on head, and beady red eye. Legs are pale yellowish. In flight, shows white trailing edge on otherwise dark, rounded wings. Juvenile has dark greyish brown upperparts and white on throat and front of neck. Voice Utters a loud kwoot call. Status Common resident, found on range of freshwater wetland habitats; numbers boosted in winter by influx of migrants.
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  • Greylag Goose Anser anser L 75-90cm. Largest Anser goose and only one that breeds in Britain. Feral populations confuse species’ wild status. Compared to other ‘grey’ geese, bulky and more uniformly grey-brown. Pink legs and heavy, pinkish orange bill help with identification. In flight, pale forewings, rump and tail contrast with darker flight feathers. Sexes are similar. Adult is greyish with dark lines on side of neck, barring on flanks and pale margins to back feathers. Bill is pale-tipped. Juvenile is more uniformly grey-brown than adult and bill lacks pale tip. Voice Utters loud, honking calls. Status Locally common resident, mainly in N. Wild migrants boost numbers in winter. Favours wetlands and reservoirs with adjacent grassland.
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  • Brent Goose Branta bernicla L 56-61cm. Our smallest goose – similar size to Shelduck. Subtle plumage patterns allow separation of two subspecies that winter here: Pale-bellied Brent B.b.hrota (breeds on Svalbard and Greenland) and Dark-bellied Brent B.b.bernicla (breeds in Russia). Seen in sizeable and noisy flocks. In flight, looks dark except for white rear end. All birds have a black bill and black legs. Sexes are similar. Adult Pale-bellied has blackish head, neck and breast; side of neck has narrow band of white feathers. Note neat division between dark breast and pale grey-buff belly. Back is uniform dark brownish grey. Adult Dark-bellied is similar but belly is darker and flanks are paler. Juveniles are similar to respective adults but note pale feather margins on back and absence of white markings on side of neck; white on neck is acquired in New Year. Voice Very vocal, uttering a nasal krrrut. Status Winter visitor to coasts.
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  • Common Toad - Bufo bufo
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  • Common Stump Brittlestem - Psathyrella piluliformis
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  • SCARLET WAXCAP Hygrocybe coccinea Strikingly colourful toadstool. Cap is up to 6cm across, broadly conical, scarlet and greasy. Gills are scarlet with a pale edge. Stem is same colour as cap. Grows in grassland.
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  • BLACKENING WAXCAP Hygrocybe conica Variable but nevertheless distinctive toadstool. Cap is up to 8cm across and conical; intially it can be red, orange and yellow but all specimens gradually turn uniformly black with age. Gills are greyish at first, blackening with age. Stem is similar colour to cap at first, but blackening with age. Grows in grassland.
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  • Black-browed Albatross - Thalassarche melanophris - adult feeding chick
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  • Black Tern - Chlidonias niger
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  • Mottled Duck - Anas fulvigula - male and female
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  • Long-tailed Duck - Clangula hyemalis - breeding pair
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  • Bar-headed Goose - Anser indicus
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  • Lapwing Vanellus vanellus L 30cm. Pied-looking wader with a spiky crest. Has rounded, black and white wings and distinctive call. Sexes are separable in summer. Adult male in summer has green- and purple-sheened dark upperparts; underparts are white except for orange vent and black foreneck. Note black and white markings on throat. Adult female in summer has less distinct black neck markings and shorter crest. Winter adult is similar to summer female but throat and foreneck are white, and back feathers have buffish fringes. Juvenile is similar to winter adult but crest is short and back looks scaly. Voice Utters a choked pee-wit call. Status Fairly common nesting species of undisturbed grazed grassland, moors and arable farmland; numbers have declined seriously. Migrants from Europe boost numbers in winter.
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  • Bar-headed Goose - Anser indicus
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  • Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus L 21-23cm. Plump-bodied wader with a bobbing gait. Unobtrusive and often first observed when flushed: note white rump and yelping alarm call. Tail is marked with a few, broad dark bands. Sexes are similar. Adult has rather dark brown upperparts with small pale spots. Head and neck are streaked; note clear demarcation between dark, streaked breast and clean white underparts. Pale supercilium is bold only in front of eye and legs are greenish yellow. Juvenile is similar but pale spotting on upperparts is more noticeable. Voice Utters a trisyllabic chlueet-wit-wit flight call. Status Widespread and fairly common passage migrant, found on freshwater habitats. Winters in small numbers.
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