
Things that go churr in the dark
If you venture out onto heathland at dusk this summer, you might hear a sound unlike any other: a long, continuous, mechanical-sounding reel that drifts through the twilight like a hidden engine…
Damselfly © Ben Hall/2020VISION
If you venture out onto heathland at dusk this summer, you might hear a sound unlike any other: a long, continuous, mechanical-sounding reel that drifts through the twilight like a hidden engine…
As summer unfolds, Hampshire's meadows come alive with a tapestry of flora. Among these is the elusive Adder’s-tongue fern (Ophioglossum vulgatum), a plant that, despite its modest appearance…
At this time of year, the quiet grasslands of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are hiding something remarkable - a moth that looks more like it belongs in a storybook than in the British…
Each spring, the avocet, one of Britain’s most striking and scarce wading birds returns to Hampshire’s coastal wetlands. Elegant and unmistakable, with long bluish-grey legs and a graceful,…
In the quiet woodlands, a small, elusive bird performs a daily vertical dance that often goes unnoticed. The treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) is a master of camouflage and an expert climber,…
Each spring, a quiet transformation takes place beneath our feet. Before the trees fully leaf, the woodland floor lights up with a carpet of delicate white flowers - wood anemones - one of the UK’…
The white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes is Britain’s only native crayfish. This small, olive-brown crustacean with pale undersides on its claws – hence its name – once thrived in the…
The marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) is one of the most common and recognisable hoverflies in Britain.
The red-breasted merganser is a striking and fascinating diving duck. It is recognisable by its distinctive shaggy crest, slender red bill, and striking black-and-white plumage.
As we enter spring, many of our resident birds remain quiet and hidden, but there’s one fascinating species that becomes easier to spot.