Phenomenal Feet
An extract from Dara McAnulty’s new book, A Wild Child’s Book of Birds
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Water vole by Terry Whittaker/2020VISION
Chwilio
Wild Isles
Wild Isles is a landmark natural history series showcasing the beauty and global significance of UK nature, presented by Sir David Attenborough and broadcast on BBC One from Sunday 12th March 2023. The five part series will remain available on BBC iPlayer.
My laboratory
Nora’s study of bird behaviour explores how small bird communities flock together to ward off larger predators. Nature has many things to teach us and is now widely acknowledged as a key…
Red kite
Seeing a red kite soaring high in the sky is a true delight! Once a very rare bird, thanks to successful reintroduction projects these wonderful birds can now be seen in lots of places in the UK…
Yellowhammer
Like many of our farmland birds, the yellowhammer has declined in number in recent years. Spot this bright yellow bird singing from the top of a bush or fence, or in a mixed-species flock in…
Himalayan balsam
As its name suggests, Himalayan balsam is from the Himalayas and was introduced here in 1839. It now an invasive weed of riverbanks and ditches, where it prevents native species from growing.
Wild Wanderings
Wildlife Watcher Chloe lives by the coast in Wales and shares her favourite finds.
Fat hen
Fat hen is a persistent 'weed' of fields and gardens, verges and hedgerows. But, like many of our weed species, it is a good food source for birds and insects.
Jackdaw
The jackdaw is a small, black-capped crow of woodlands, parks, towns and coast. It is a well-known thief, stealing other birds' eggs and breaking into garden feeders.
My inspiration
Tony, environmentalist and author, gets inspiration from being outside. His dogs do too. Growing up with a passion for the natural world, progressing to ornithology, a deep and growing conviction…
Giant hogweed
As its name suggests, giant hogweed it a large umbellifer with distinctively ridged, hollow stems. An introduced species, it is an invasive weed of riverbanks, where it prevents native species…
Creeping thistle
Despite being considered a 'weed' of cultivated ground, the seeds of the Creeping thistle provide an important food source for farmland birds, many of which are declining rapidly.