Unsurprisingly, the nocturnal long-eared owl sports large 'ear tufts' on its head, while the short-eared owl has much smaller ear tufts. A shy bird, it is best spotted around the coast…

A familiar black bird of our lakes, ponds and rivers, the coot is widespread; look out for its large and untidy-looking nest on the water in spring. The coot can be distinguished from the similar…

A familiar black bird of our lakes, ponds and rivers, the moorhen is widespread; look out for its large and untidy-looking nest on the water in spring. It can be distinguished from the similar…

This distinctive bug is often seen basking on low-growing plants in spring and summer.

Bilberries appear in summer and early autumn and are often turned into jams, pies and sauces...

The turnstone can be spotted fluttering around large stones on rocky and gravelly shores, flipping them over to look for prey. It can even lift rocks as big as its own body! Although a migrant to…

This is a predominantly subtidal species but can be found on the lowest parts of a sheltered rocky shore in summer.

This metallic green beetle can be seen visiting flowers on sunny days in spring and summer.

This streaky brown bird is a summer visitor to Britain, favouring open woodlands in the north and west.

This brightly-coloured beetle is often found feeding on flowers on warm days in late spring and summer.

The blackbird of the mountains, ring ouzels can be found breeding on upland moors and rocky crags in summer.