Winter

Whooper Swans by Danny Green/2020VISION

December, January and February

In winter life can be hard for wildlife – days are short and for many creatures finding enough food to survive takes up almost every hour of daylight. The winter solstice is on 21 December. This is the shortest day when the sun rises latest and sets earliest.

If you're looking for some festive activity inspiration, you've come to the right place! Explore our recommendations below, from seasonal nature spotting sheets to awesome festive craft ideas to do at home.

Top five things to spot

Snowdrop by Chris Lawrence

Mallards by Andrew Parkinson/2020VISION

Amy Lewis

Starling murmuration by Danny Green/2020VISION

Mistletoe by Zsuzsanna Bird

Things to see and do in winter

Nature detective

Fieldfares ©Chris Gomersall/2020VISION

Mountain hare ©Luke Massey/2020VISION

Holly ©Philip Precey

Red squirrel ©Mark Hamblin/2020VISION

Canada goose ©Terry Whittaker/2020VISION

I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently?

Lewis Carroll
Alice in Wonderland

Winter wildlife facts!

Test your knowledge on some of the UK's winter wonders! Click each arrow to reveal more.

Red squirrels do not hibernate over winter

...but they do keep stores of food to see them through difficult times when fresh food is not available. Red squirrels are native to the UK but are a lot rarer than their grey cousins! Find out more about this bushy-tailed creature here.

Have you spotted any bright orange berries whilst out and about?

...it could be Sea-buckthorne! Sea-buckthorn is a spiny, thicket-forming shrub, most noticeable in autumn and winter with its bright berries. These berries are a great source of food for thrushes wintering in the UK. Find out more about this cool plant here.

When in flight, flocks of geese often form a V shape called a 'skein'

...and you may well see flocks of honking pink-footed geese about this winter! Pink-footed geese are a migrant bird, spending their winter in the UK before flying back to Iceland or Greenland in spring. Find out more about these fantastic visitors here.