Monthly WildLife Highlights 

Our country is blessed with such a huge and diverse amount of Wildlife that it can often feel like we’re spoilt for choice.  We have a huge resident population of a big range of birds, mammals, insects and amphibians and to add even more variety we also play host to numerous migratory visitors throughout the year.  The guides below are a starting point for what to look for and at what time of year and represent just some of the monthly wildlife highlights that you can enjoy throughout the year.

 

Wildlife to See in January

Wildlife & Nature to See in January : Snowdrops

Wildlife & Nature to See in January : Snowdrops

Wildlife to See in January : Snowdrops There are few sights more cheering after a long winter, than a new bloom of snowdrops. The delicate white flower is the herald of spring, and in the midst of recession, a reminder that pleasure doesn’t always mean shelling out....

Wildlife & Nature to See in January : Barn Owls

Wildlife & Nature to See in January : Barn Owls

Wildlife to See in January : Barn Owls Firstly, a white emblem of British wildlife, the Barn Owl (Tyto alba). The Barn Owl is an evolutionary example of function meeting beauty. The heart-shaped face, whilst captivating, is a feature designed to conduct sound to their...

Wildlife to See in February

Wildlife & Nature to See in February : Crocus

Wildlife & Nature to See in February : Crocus

Wildlife to See in February : Crocus This month I have been lucky enough to speak to several experts about one of Britain’s earliest spring flowers, the crocus. Despite being part of the backdrop for spring woodlands, none of the crocus species in the UK are actually...

Wildlife & Nature to See in February : Swans

Wildlife & Nature to See in February : Swans

Wildlife to See in February : Swans To most people in Britain, the mute swan (Cygnus olor) is the first species to spring to mind. This is our native, year-round inhabitant, with its distinctive black-knobbed orange bill (and occasionally grumpy attitude!) The mute...

Wildlife to See in March

Nature to see in March – Wood Anemones

Wood Anemones Are at Their Best in March After the manic actions of the hares, you might enjoy the calmer pursuit of finding wood anemones (Anemone nemorosa), which appear in-you guessed it-woodland. Known as a “primitive flower”, having only sepals in its flower...

Wildlife to see in March – Frog Spawn

Wildlife to See in March : Frog Spawn My third, and favourite, sight in March, has to be the delightful, croaking mass of mating frogs, piled in ponds across the country. A large percentage of my childhood was spent peering into the murky water of our pond, or...

Wildlife to see in March – Hares

Wildlife to See in March : Hares It is difficult to think of March without considering the effect it has on the behaviour of a usually shy and reserved British mammal. Not unlike the effect of Glastonbury Festival on sensible adults. The UK is home to three species of...

Wildlife to See in April

Wildlife & Nature to See in April : Foxes

Wildlife to See in April : Foxes Spring is a time for new life, and I recommend April as a good time to look for red fox cubs. If, like my father, you are lucky enough to share a garden with a fox (Vulpes vulpes), you may have already been privileged with evenings of...

Wildlife to see in April – Hedgehogs

Wildlife to See in April : Hedgehogs After several months of rest and relaxation one of our most familiar mammals is now beginning to feel the urge for a tasty worm or insect. The hedgehog hibernation cycle is very much dependent on weather and may begin anytime from...

Wildlife to see in April – Ladybirds

Wildlife to See in April : Ladybirds What is round, colourful and can be seen at Easter? The Seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata),of course! Larger than the Two-spot ladybird, the Seven-spot is typically between 5 and 8mm, and has three and a half spots per...

Wildlife to see in April – Osprey

Wildlife to See in April : Osprey Osprey can now be seen again at various sites in the UK after returning from their winter homes. Having spent a full season helping out at volunteers at one the visitor centres in the Scottish Borders, this is a subject that we know...

Wildlife to See in May

Wildlife to see in May – Common Lizard

Wildlife to See in May : Common Lizard In my view, an unkind name, particularly when the UK has only two native lizard species (and in fact only six reptile species in total). Whether viewed as common or a gem, May and the warmer months are a great time to look for...

Wildlife to see in May – Seabird Colonies

Wildlife to See in May : Seabird Colonies Now is a great time for getting out and seeing some of Britain’s amazing nesting seabird colonies. We have plenty of spots along our coast that offer fantastic close up views of birds on nests and if you fancied an even more...

Wildlife to see in May – Swallows, Swifts and Martins

Some of our favourite summer visitors are back, and, having arrived a couple of weeks ago they waste little time getting to work breeding and building nests, and if you keep an eye out you should have little problem finding nest sites for at least one of the listed...

Wildlife to See in June

Wildlife to see in June – Butterflies and Moths

Wildlife to See in June : Butterflies and Moths Butterflies Its been an unusually slow start this year in Yorkshire with the cold North east winds which have blown throughout April and May keeping every thing on hold. Whilst there have been some butterflies the...

Wildlife to see in June – Seal Pups

Wildlife to See in June : Seal Pups The UK hosts very high numbers of seals and is crucial for their conservation. In fact the UK is home to around half of the total world population of Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus), with the UK population having doubled in the last...

Wildlife to see in June – Froglets and Toadlets

Wildlife to See in June : Froglets and Toadlets In the UK we have just 6 native species of amphibian, half of these are newts and we also have two species of toad and one species of frog. There are also introduced species but these will not be covered in this article....

Wildlife to See in July

Wildlife to see in July – Owls

Wildlife to See in July : Owls The summer months are a great time to get a good view and even perhaps some photographs or film of owls. During this time the owl chicks are still reliant on their parents for food whilst they are learning to hunt for themselves. This...

Wildlife to see in July – Foxgloves

Wildlife to See in July : Foxgloves Where once there was decking and water-features, fashionable gardening has recently taken a wildlife-friendly turn, and I couldn’t be happier. Emphasis is now on building ponds, log piles and planting native flowers to encourage...

Wildlife to see in July – Wrens

Wildlife to See in July : Wren One of my favourite garden visitors is the energetic wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), with its tail an aloft flag-pole, and those currant-black eyes. I have just been ordered back inside by a frustrated adult bird’s alarm call from the...

Wildlife to See in August

Wildlife to see in August – Dragonflies

Wildlife to see in August – Dragonflies

Wildlife to See in August : Dragonflies The Mythos In European countries, throughout the ages, dragonflies have had a bit of a rough ride, with such names as Devil’s Darning-Needle and Horse-biters. And even though their name conjures up images of the great...

Wildlife to see in August – Bumblebees

Wildlife to See in August : Bumblebees Bumblebees are among the most endearing and familiar of garden insects. The sight and sound of bees droning methodically from flower to flower is a quintessential part of a summer’s day. Sadly, these affable insects are...

Wildlife to see in August – Water Voles

Wildlife to see in August – Water Voles

Wildlife to See in August : European Water Vole This month may well be a good time to spot water voles, as second litters of juveniles take their first foray into the outside world. Of course, like anything worth seeing, they are notoriously difficult to spot amongst...

Wildlife to See in September

Wildlife to see in September – Brambles

Wildlife to see in September – Brambles

Wildlife to See in September : Brambles (Rubus fruiticosa) I have long believed the humble bramble to be one of Britain’s most under-appreciated plant species. People complain of its ability to take over a garden, sending thorny shoots out across prized rose bushes...

Wildlife to see in September – Squirrels

Wildlife to see in September – Squirrels

Wildlife to See in September : Squirrels As September begins we are seeing many changes to our native, non native and migratory species of wildlife. Many of our visitors are now leaving for sunnier climes and at the same time many that are staying are beginning to...

Wildlife to see in September – Dormouse

Wildlife to see in September – Dormouse

Wildlife to See in September : Dormouse For the last hundred years the Yorkshire Dales has been missing a creature that was once a key indicator of the health of its ancient woodlands. The warm hazel thickets of Wensleydale, Wharfedale and the hazel coppices of...

Wildlife to See in October

Wildlife to see in October – Spiders

Wildlife to See in October : Spiders Early autumn can often feel like a quiet time for wildlife – summer migrants long gone, mammals starting to think about hibernating – but my garden is teeming with life. Creepy crawly life. Ok, I realise that not everybody is a...

Wildlife to see in October – Salmon

Wildlife to See in October : Salmon October is the month to watch the magnificent spectacle of Salmon returning upstream to spawn. These powerful and determined fish overcome what seem like the most impossible obstacles in order to ensure a new generation of salmon is...

Wildlife & Nature to See in October – Red Deer Rut

Wildlife & Nature to See in October : Red Deer Rut   Red Deer are the largest land mammal in Britain and although traditionally associated with Scotland they can be found throughout Britain. For most of the year the deer remain in single sex groups with hinds...

Wildlife to See in November

Wildlife to see in November – Grey Seals

Wildlife to See in November : Grey Seals Grey seals are one of the rarest seal species in the world and about two thirds of the entire population lives in British and Irish waters. They have a distinctive horse-like face with a long muzzle, large appealing eyes and...

Wildlife to see in November – Starlings

Wildlife to See in November : Starlings   Our resident starlings have now been joined by thousands of birds that have migrated here to over-winter from Scandinavia forming huge flocks. One of the most fascinating wildlife spectacles in the UK is to watch the...

Wildlife to see in November – Hibernation

Wildlife to See in November : Hibernation   For anyone who grew up watching Blue Peter, it is now a deep-rooted knowledge that before fireworks night, one must check bonfires for hedgehogs. As a child I often felt traumatised watching wood piles go up in smoke,...

Wildlife to See in December

Wildlife to see in December – Robins

Wildlife to See in December : Robins Christmas is coming Garden birds aren’t getting fat, So please leave out mealworms Or some seeds to peck at. Whilst Christmas is a time for turkeys, calling birds and partridges, it’s the charismatic robin that will be the likely...

Wildlife to see in December – Holly

Wildlife to see in December – Holly

Wildlife to See in December : Holly Now is the of year homes are being decorated for Christmas and one of the best loved natural decorations is holly. This article, written by Alan Watson Featherstone, founder of the award winning conservation charity Trees for Life...