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  • Common Larch Larix decidua Pinaceae Height to 35m<br />
Deciduous, conical conifer. Foliage turns golden before needles fall in autumn. Bark Greyish-brown, fissured with age. Branches Mostly horizontal. Needles To 3cm long, in bunches of up to 40. Reproductive parts Male flowers are yellow cones. Female cones are red in spring, maturing brown and woody. Status Native of central Europe, planted here for timber and ornament.
    144440.jpg
  • Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus Length 23-27cm Mainly nocturnal animal, protected by spines (modified hairs). Feeds mainly on invertebrates but will take food put out by people. Hibernates from Oct-Apr. Spines are erectile and an effective deterrent when animal rolls into a defensive ball. Head and underparts are covered in coarse hairs. Muzzle-shaped head ends in a sensitive nose. Utters a pig-like squeal in distress, and grunts when courting. Familiar garden resident.
    144323.jpg
  • River Kennet and tow path at Ufton near Reading, Berkshire, Uk
    154487.jpg
  • Sunset over Cricklade and the Upper Thames, Wiltshire, Uk
    154509.jpg
  • Wych Elm Ulmus glabra Ulmaceae Height to 40m<br />
Spreading tree. Bark Cracked and ridged with age. Branches Main ones spreading. Young twigs have stiff hairs. Leaves Oval, to 18cm long, with tapering tip. Unequal base extends beyond petiole. Reproductive parts Fruits papery, to 2cm long. Status Widespread but much reduced by Dutch Elm Disease; large trees seldom seen nowadays.
    144532.jpg
  • Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus Length 23-27cm Mainly nocturnal animal, protected by spines (modified hairs). Feeds mainly on invertebrates but will take food put out by people. Hibernates from Oct-Apr. Spines are erectile and an effective deterrent when animal rolls into a defensive ball. Head and underparts are covered in coarse hairs. Muzzle-shaped head ends in a sensitive nose. Utters a pig-like squeal in distress, and grunts when courting. Familiar garden resident.
    144320.jpg
  • Red Deer Cervus elaphus Shoulder height 100-130cm Male (stag) is our heaviest deer. Size varies with region – southern animals are larger than northern ones. Lives in separate sex herds for much or year. Adult is reddish in summer but dark brown in winter. Has whitish rump patch and buffish brown tail. Only male has antlers: appear in spring, mature in autumn, shed in winter. Number of antler points increases with age. Calf is reddish brown with white spots. Female (hind) bleats and male utters bellowing roars during autumn rut. Common and native in Scotland. Locally also in Lake District, Exmoor, the New Forest and Norfolk.
    144368.jpg
  • Red Deer Cervus elaphus Shoulder height 100-130cm Male (stag) is our heaviest deer. Size varies with region – southern animals are larger than northern ones. Lives in separate sex herds for much or year. Adult is reddish in summer but dark brown in winter. Has whitish rump patch and buffish brown tail. Only male has antlers: appear in spring, mature in autumn, shed in winter. Number of antler points increases with age. Calf is reddish brown with white spots. Female (hind) bleats and male utters bellowing roars during autumn rut. Common and native in Scotland. Locally also in Lake District, Exmoor, the New Forest and Norfolk.
    144369.jpg
  • Red Deer Cervus elaphus Shoulder height 100-130cm Male (stag) is our heaviest deer. Size varies with region – southern animals are larger than northern ones. Lives in separate sex herds for much or year. Adult is reddish in summer but dark brown in winter. Has whitish rump patch and buffish brown tail. Only male has antlers: appear in spring, mature in autumn, shed in winter. Number of antler points increases with age. Calf is reddish brown with white spots. Female (hind) bleats and male utters bellowing roars during autumn rut. Common and native in Scotland. Locally also in Lake District, Exmoor, the New Forest and Norfolk.
    144370.jpg
  • Red Deer Cervus elaphus Shoulder height 100-130cm Male (stag) is our heaviest deer. Size varies with region – southern animals are larger than northern ones. Lives in separate sex herds for much or year. Adult is reddish in summer but dark brown in winter. Has whitish rump patch and buffish brown tail. Only male has antlers: appear in spring, mature in autumn, shed in winter. Number of antler points increases with age. Calf is reddish brown with white spots. Female (hind) bleats and male utters bellowing roars during autumn rut. Common and native in Scotland. Locally also in Lake District, Exmoor, the New Forest and Norfolk.
    144376.jpg
  • Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens
    161861.jpg
  • 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.
    155673.jpg
  • Bermuda Petrel - Pterodroma cahow
    154950.jpg
  • Loading harvested hay at sunset
    154822.jpg
  • The source of the River Thames at Thameshead near Kemble in Gloucestershire, Uk
    154561.jpg
  • Winter afternoon sun on the River Thames near the source, Ewen, Gloucestershire, Uk
    154572.jpg
  • Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria L 28cm. Beautifully marked wader. Call is evocative of desolate uplands in summer. Gregarious outside breeding season; often associates with Lapwings. In flight, note white underwings. Sexes are sometimes separable in summer. Adult in summer has spangled golden upperparts bordered by white band. In most males, belly is black, grading to grey on neck and face. Most females have less distinct dark underparts and face is often whitish. Breeders from N Europe (seen on migration) have darker underparts than British birds. In winter, underparts are pale, and head, neck and back are streaked golden. Juvenile is similar to winter adult. Voice Utters peeoo flight call and plaintive pu-peeoo in summer. Status Locally common breeding species on N upland moors and mountains. Widespread in winter on grassland and arable fields.
    154348.jpg
  • Lone sea angler casting from the beach at Hurst Spit, Hampshire at sunset
    154240.jpg
  • COMMON DANDELION Taraxacum officinale agg. (Asteraceae) Height to 35cm. Extremely variable perennial. Experts recognise several sub-groups (sections), containing numerous so-called micro-species; however, for simplicity’s sake, here they are lumped together as a single species. Grows in a wide variety of grassy places. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 3-6cm across, with yellow florets; heads are solitary and borne on hollow stems that yield a milky sap if broken (Mar-Oct). FRUITS have a hairy pappus, arranged as a white ‘clock’. LEAVES are spoon-shaped and sharply lobed; arranged in a basal rosette. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout.
    144480.jpg
  • Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus Length 23-27cm Mainly nocturnal animal, protected by spines (modified hairs). Feeds mainly on invertebrates but will take food put out by people. Hibernates from Oct-Apr. Spines are erectile and an effective deterrent when animal rolls into a defensive ball. Head and underparts are covered in coarse hairs. Muzzle-shaped head ends in a sensitive nose. Utters a pig-like squeal in distress, and grunts when courting. Familiar garden resident.
    132842.jpg
  • Oriental Darter - Anhinga melanogaster
    139693.jpg
  • Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria L 28cm. Beautifully marked wader. Call is evocative of desolate uplands in summer. Gregarious outside breeding season; often associates with Lapwings. In flight, note white underwings. Sexes are sometimes separable in summer. Adult in summer has spangled golden upperparts bordered by white band. In most males, belly is black, grading to grey on neck and face. Most females have less distinct dark underparts and face is often whitish. Breeders from N Europe (seen on migration) have darker underparts than British birds. In winter, underparts are pale, and head, neck and back are streaked golden. Juvenile is similar to winter adult. Voice Utters peeoo flight call and plaintive pu-peeoo in summer. Status Locally common breeding species on N upland moors and mountains. Widespread in winter on grassland and arable fields.
    143416.jpg
  • Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria L 28cm. Beautifully marked wader. Call is evocative of desolate uplands in summer. Gregarious outside breeding season; often associates with Lapwings. In flight, note white underwings. Sexes are sometimes separable in summer. Adult in summer has spangled golden upperparts bordered by white band. In most males, belly is black, grading to grey on neck and face. Most females have less distinct dark underparts and face is often whitish. Breeders from N Europe (seen on migration) have darker underparts than British birds. In winter, underparts are pale, and head, neck and back are streaked golden. Juvenile is similar to winter adult. Voice Utters peeoo flight call and plaintive pu-peeoo in summer. Status Locally common breeding species on N upland moors and mountains. Widespread in winter on grassland and arable fields.
    143417.jpg
  • Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus L 43cm. Distinctive wader with striking black and white plumage and loud alarm call. Powerful bill used to hammer molluscs off rocks. Sexes are similar. Adult in summer has black upperparts and white underparts with clear demarcation between the two on breast. Note red bill, pinkish legs and beady red eye. In winter, similar but note white half-collar. Juvenile is similar to summer adult but black elements of plumage are brownish and bill and leg colours are subdued. Voice Utters a loud, piping peep call. Status Breeds commonly on coast and beside inland lakes and rivers in N. Mainly coastal in winter, favouring estuaries and mudflats.
    144673.jpg
  • The Melodious Warbler Hippolais polyglotta (L 12-13cm) occurs most regularly and recalls an outsized Willow Warbler. It has uniform olive-green upperparts with a brownish hue to the wings; the underparts (paler in juveniles than adults) are pale yellow, the colour most intense on the throat and breast. The legs are greyish brown and there is a pale eyering. Members of this interesting genus of warblers are summer visitors to mainland Europe. Unfortunately, none breeds in Britain but we do get occasional visits from passage migrants; look for them at coastal migration hotspots in autumn after south-easterly winds. As a group, Hippolais warblers are superficially similar to Phylloscopus warblers but have proportionately large heads, a peaked rather than rounded crown, a relatively large, broad-based bill and pale lores.
    145357.jpg
  • Hedgehog - Erinaceus europaeus
    164041.jpg
  • Hedgehog - Erinaceus europaeus
    164042.jpg
  • Chatham Island Albatross - Thalassarche eremita
    161878.jpg
  • Magnificent Frigatebird - Fregata magnificens<br />
Little Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
    161873.jpg
  • Angler fishing in the last light of evening at Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset
    155093.jpg
  • Bermuda Petrel - Pterodroma cahow
    154917.jpg
  • Loading harvested hay at sunset
    154821.jpg
  • The source of the River Thames at Thameshead near Kemble in Gloucestershire, Uk
    154533.jpg
  • The source of the River Thames at Thameshead near Kemble in Gloucestershire, Uk
    154560.jpg
  • The source of the River Thames at Thameshead near Kemble in Gloucestershire, Uk
    154566.jpg
  • Winter afternoon sun on the River Thames near the source, Ewen, Gloucestershire, Uk
    154571.jpg
  • Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria L 28cm. Beautifully marked wader. Call is evocative of desolate uplands in summer. Gregarious outside breeding season; often associates with Lapwings. In flight, note white underwings. Sexes are sometimes separable in summer. Adult in summer has spangled golden upperparts bordered by white band. In most males, belly is black, grading to grey on neck and face. Most females have less distinct dark underparts and face is often whitish. Breeders from N Europe (seen on migration) have darker underparts than British birds. In winter, underparts are pale, and head, neck and back are streaked golden. Juvenile is similar to winter adult. Voice Utters peeoo flight call and plaintive pu-peeoo in summer. Status Locally common breeding species on N upland moors and mountains. Widespread in winter on grassland and arable fields.
    154347.jpg
  • Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria L 28cm. Beautifully marked wader. Call is evocative of desolate uplands in summer. Gregarious outside breeding season; often associates with Lapwings. In flight, note white underwings. Sexes are sometimes separable in summer. Adult in summer has spangled golden upperparts bordered by white band. In most males, belly is black, grading to grey on neck and face. Most females have less distinct dark underparts and face is often whitish. Breeders from N Europe (seen on migration) have darker underparts than British birds. In winter, underparts are pale, and head, neck and back are streaked golden. Juvenile is similar to winter adult. Voice Utters peeoo flight call and plaintive pu-peeoo in summer. Status Locally common breeding species on N upland moors and mountains. Widespread in winter on grassland and arable fields.
    154349.jpg
  • Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Wingspan 18-22mm. A distinctive and unmistakable moth. Adult has bright green forewings; at rest these are held flat creating a shield-like outline. Flies May-June. Larva feeds inside a rolled-up oak leaf. Widespread and common throughout much of the region.
    141608.jpg
  • Mottled Umber Erannis defoliaria Wingspan 40mm. A distinctive autumn-flying moth. Female is wingless; male rests with wings spread flat, forewings covering hindwings. Adult male has forewings that vary from pale to dark brown; typical form has a pale central band, bordered by a black line and containing black dot; other forms are uniformly rufous but all show the black dot. Flies October-December. Larva feeds on deciduous trees and shrubs. Widespread and common.
    140951.jpg
  • COMMON DANDELION Taraxacum officinale agg. (Asteraceae) Height to 35cm. Extremely variable perennial. Experts recognise several sub-groups (sections), containing numerous so-called micro-species; however, for simplicity’s sake, here they are lumped together as a single species. Grows in a wide variety of grassy places. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 3-6cm across, with yellow florets; heads are solitary and borne on hollow stems that yield a milky sap if broken (Mar-Oct). FRUITS have a hairy pappus, arranged as a white ‘clock’. LEAVES are spoon-shaped and sharply lobed; arranged in a basal rosette. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout.
    145301.jpg
  • Red Deer Cervus elaphus Shoulder height 100-130cm Male (stag) is our heaviest deer. Size varies with region – southern animals are larger than northern ones. Lives in separate sex herds for much or year. Adult is reddish in summer but dark brown in winter. Has whitish rump patch and buffish brown tail. Only male has antlers: appear in spring, mature in autumn, shed in winter. Number of antler points increases with age. Calf is reddish brown with white spots. Female (hind) bleats and male utters bellowing roars during autumn rut. Common and native in Scotland. Locally also in Lake District, Exmoor, the New Forest and Norfolk.
    141213.jpg
  • Oriental Fire-bellied Toad Bombina orientalis Length to 4cm Native to temperate regions of E Asia but widely kept in captivity. Adult has marbled green upperparts and with bright orange-yellow patches on otherwise dark underparts.
    132836.jpg
  • Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta L 43cm. Elegant wader with distinctive black and white plumage. Feeds by sweeping diagnostic, upcurved bill from side-to-side through water. Gregarious outside breeding season. Sexes are similar. Adult has mainly white plumage with black on crown, nape and wings. Legs are blue and bill is black. Juvenile is similar but black elements of plumage are dark brown. Voice Utters a ringing klueet-klueet… call. Status Favours shallow, coastal brackish lagoons in breeding season. In winter, found on estuaries, mainly in SW England.
    143281.jpg
  • Skylark Alauda arvensis L 18cm. Has nondescript plumage and best known for incessant song, delivered in flight. Sexes are similar. Adult has streaked sandy-brown upperparts and paler underparts; breast is streaked and flushed buff. Short crest is sometimes raised. In flight, note whitish trailing edge to wings and white outer tail feathers. Juvenile is similar but with scaly-looking back. Voice Rapid song comprises trills, whistles and elements of mimicry. Call is a rolling chrrrp. Status Favours grassy habitats including meadows, heaths and arable farmland. Has declined alarmingly, due to changes in farming practises, but still common. Forms flocks outside breeding season; upland breeding birds move to lowlands in winter.
    143343.jpg
  • Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
    143412.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.
    143490.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.
    143501.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.
    143511.jpg
  • Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus L 11-12cm. Familiar garden and woodland bird. Sexes are similar. Adult has greenish back, blue wings and yellow underparts. Mainly white head is demarcated by dark blue collar, connecting to dark eyestripe and dark bib; cap is blue. Bill is short and stubby and legs are bluish. Male is brighter than female. Juvenile is similar but colours are subdued. Voice Call is chattering tser err-err-err. Song contains whistling and trilling elements. Status Common resident of deciduous woodland, parks and gardens.
    143686.jpg
  • Swallow Hirundo rustica L 19cm. Recognised in flight by pointed wings and long tail streamers. Sexes are similar but male has longer tail streamers than female. Adult has blue-black upperparts and white underparts except for dark chest band and brick-red throat and forecrown. Juvenile is similar but has shorter tail streamers and buff throat. Voice Utters sharp vit call in flight; male sings twittering song, often from overhead wires near nest. Status Common and widespread in summer. Usually nests in villages and farmyards, half cup-shaped mud nest typically sited under eaves or in barn. Migrants congregate over freshwater and roost in reedbeds.
    144047.jpg
  • Swallow Hirundo rustica L 19cm. Recognised in flight by pointed wings and long tail streamers. Sexes are similar but male has longer tail streamers than female. Adult has blue-black upperparts and white underparts except for dark chest band and brick-red throat and forecrown. Juvenile is similar but has shorter tail streamers and buff throat. Voice Utters sharp vit call in flight; male sings twittering song, often from overhead wires near nest. Status Common and widespread in summer. Usually nests in villages and farmyards, half cup-shaped mud nest typically sited under eaves or in barn. Migrants congregate over freshwater and roost in reedbeds.
    144048.jpg
  • Hawfinch Coccothraustes coccothraustes L 17-18cm. Giant among finches. Massive, conical bill is used to crack Hornbeam and Cherry seeds. Sexes are separable. Adult male has mainly pinkish buff plumage with grey on neck and brown on back. Note broad whitish wingbar, blue-black flight feathers, and broad white tip to tail. Adult female is similar but duller. Juvenile is similar to adult female but plumage patterns are less distinct. Voice Utters a sharp, Robin-like tsic call. Quiet song is seldom heard. Status Local and rather scarce in mature deciduous woodland, orchards and large gardens.
    145402.jpg
  • Pomarine Skua - Stercorarius pomarinus
    161560.jpg
  • Glossy Ibis - Plegadis falcinellus
    161504.jpg
  • Shrimp netting on the Norfolk coast
    161480.jpg
  • Pedunculate Oak - Quercus robur
    161388.jpg
  • Ash - Fraxinus excelsior
    161390.jpg
  • Wych Elm - Ulmus glabra
    161374.jpg
  • Dartford Warbler - Sylvia undata
    160785.jpg
  • Scalloped Oak - Crocallis elinguaria
    160015.jpg
  • Nightingale - Luscinia megarhynchos
    158139.jpg
  • Blackcap - Sylvia atricapilla
    158138.jpg
  • Grayling - Hipparchia semele - male (top) - female (bottom). Wingspan 50mm. An active, sun-loving butterfly. Typically rests with its wings folded and angled to sun to cast the least shadow. Adult has well patterned underwings: hindwing is marbled grey and brown while forewing has an orange patch with two eyespots. Forewings are seldom revealed at rest, but are buffish brown with a yellowish submarginal band marked with eyespots. Flies June–August. Larva feeds on grasses. Widespread but only locally common, favouring warm, dry places including sea cliffs, heaths and dunes.
    157060.jpg
  • Grayling Hipparchia semele Wingspan 50mm. An active, sun-loving butterfly. Typically rests with its wings folded and angled to sun to cast the least shadow. Adult has well patterned underwings: hindwing is marbled grey and brown while forewing has an orange patch with two eyespots. Forewings are seldom revealed at rest, but are buffish brown with a yellowish submarginal band marked with eyespots. Flies June–August. Larva feeds on grasses. Widespread but only locally common, favouring warm, dry places including sea cliffs, heaths and dunes.
    144914.jpg
  • Grayling Hipparchia semele Wingspan 50mm. An active, sun-loving butterfly. Typically rests with its wings folded and angled to sun to cast the least shadow. Adult has well patterned underwings: hindwing is marbled grey and brown while forewing has an orange patch with two eyespots. Forewings are seldom revealed at rest, but are buffish brown with a yellowish submarginal band marked with eyespots. Flies June–August. Larva feeds on grasses. Widespread but only locally common, favouring warm, dry places including sea cliffs, heaths and dunes.
    136160.jpg