RED ADMIRAL , Venessa atalanta The Red Admiral, Venessa atalanta is probably one of Britains recognised spices of butterfly and can be found in almost all habitats from gardens to […]
The Badger , Meles meles Despite being rarely seen during daylight hours , the badger , the largest terrestrial carnivore here in Britain is easily recognisable and still a common […]
The Weasel , Musrela nivalis The Weasel , Musrela nivalis is a member of the Mustelid family of mammals and is related to Stoats, Ferrets, Polecats and Otters all of […]
MAGPIE , Pica pica The Eurasian Magpie , more commonly known as just the Magpie ( Pica pica ) is a member of the crow family and undoubtedly one of […]
The Pied Wagtail, known for its frantic tail-wagging and black-and-white plumage, is a common sight in car parks and city centers. While most are year-round residents in the UK, some migrate to the Mediterranean and Africa during winter. Adult males defend territories, while young and female wagtails forage in groups during winter. They primarily feed on insects and sometimes forage in urban areas. Breeding from April to June, they raise up to three broods and are adaptable in nesting locations. Unfortunately, their numbers have declined, possibly due to issues with waterways and invertebrate availability. Despite this, they are currently listed as of little concern.
BLACKBIRD Turdus merula Words and pictures by Peter Hanscomb The Blackbird , Turdus merula is a member of the thrush family and can be found throughout Britain and mainland Europe. […]
SLOW WORM – Anguis fragilis With long, smooth, shiny, grey or brown bodies, slow worms look very similar to a small snakes and can grow up to 50cm long. In […]
The Dunnock Dunnocks , Prunella modularis are native to the UK and large areas of Europe with their range spreading as far as Lebanon, northern Iran, and the Caucasus. The […]
The Buzzard – Buteo buteo By Graham Stewart The Buzzard is now the most common and widespread of all the birds of prey in the UK despite the high mortality […]
The Common Redshank – Tringa tetanus The Common Redshank is a large sandpiper with long, bright red legs or “ shanks “ It is a typical wader, feeding in shallow water […]
MTM – The Black-headed Gull , Chroicocephalus ridibundus The Black-headed Gull is Britain’s smallest species of Common Gull. They are the most common inland gull and can be seen all […]
The Mole , Talpa euopaea Moles are a regular visitor at the Meadow Hide , we have never seen one which is normal but the evident there , with their […]
The Red Squirrel The red squirrel , Sciurus vulgaris is an arboreal, omnivorous rodent and the only native species of squirrel found in Great Britain . Under threat from both […]
The Brown Rat , Rattus norvegicus The Brown Rat is a native of central Asia which was introduced to the British Isles around 1720. It has subsequently spread throughout the […]
The Peacock Butterfly , Inachis io The peacock butterfly is one of the most common garden butterfly , found throughout most of England and Wales , and more rarely in […]
The Robin , Erithacus rubecula The Robin , a familiar sight in British gardens and parks is a small rounded bird with a distinctive red plumage on it’s breast. A […]