Mud
From vast plains spreading across the seabed to intertidal flats exposed by the low tide, mud supports an incredible variety of wildlife.
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Water vole by Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Chwilio
Rosemary beetle
This beautiful beetle only arrived in the UK in 1960s but is now a common sight on garden herbs.
Purple-loosestrife
A tall plant, purple-loosestrife can form dense stands of bright purple flower spikes in wet habitats like reedbeds, fens and marshes.
Purging buckthorn
An uncommon hedgerow and woodland tree of central and eastern England, Purging buckthorn displays yellow-green flowers in spring, and poisonous, black berries in autumn.
Identify animal poo
Droppings, dung, spraints and scat - animal poo goes by many names. Knowing how to identify poo can be a great way of finding some of Britain's more elusive mammals. Here's how to identify some common animal droppings including hedgehog poo and fox poo.
Barrel jellyfish
Giants of the jellyfish world, these incredible creatures are the UK’s largest jellyfish! They can grow to the size of dustbin lids – giving them their other common name: dustbin-lid jellyfish.…
Meadowsweet
As its name suggests, Meadowsweet is a sweet-smelling flower of damp meadows, ditches and riverbanks. Look for frothy clusters of cream flowers on tall stems.
Dryad's saddle
This big, beautiful fungus is a common one that can often be spotted popping out of trees.
Edible periwinkle
Edible periwinkles are a common sight when rockpooling and can be found in huge numbers on the shore.
My breath of fresh air
Michael manages Stanley Moss Nature Reserve; he loves the serenity of the area and the different wildlife that he can see. The area was once used for coal mining, and was drained and planted with…
Alder buckthorn
An uncommon tree of wet woodlands, riverbanks and heathlands, Alder buckthorn displays pale green flowers in spring, and red berries that turn purple in autumn.
Black snail beetle
This shiny beetle is common in wooded areas throughout the UK. As the name suggests, it specialises in hunting snails.