British Wildlife

BROWN HARE Brown hares have long ears with black tips, and they have longer legs than rabbits. They are the fastest land mammal in the UK. Their long back legs allow them to run at speeds of up to 45mph. They are most active early in the morning or late in the evening which is the best time to spot them. During the daytime they remain hidden by lying down in fields with their ears flat along their backs.

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER The great spotted woodpecker has striking black and white plumage with large white patch on the shoulder and white barred wings. Males have a bright red patch on the neck and undertail. Underparts white. Announces itself in Spring with drumming on tree trunks. Feeds on insects (in tree trunks) as well as seeds, nuts. Bores its nest in tree trunks. They can be found mainly England and Wales, not Northern Ireland & grow to approx 23 -26 cm in length.

Although they are the most colourful members of the crow family, jays are actually quite difficult to see. They are shy woodland birds, rarely moving far from cover. The screaming call usually lets you know a jay is about and it is usually given when a bird is on the move. Jays are famous for their acorn feeding habits and in the autumn you may see them burying acorns for retrieving later in the winter.

WATER VOLE. 'Ratty' in The Wind in the Willows was not a rat at all, but a water vole. Sadly he is now the most endangered mammal species in the UK. Nearly 90% have disappeared in the last seven years, mainly due to habitat loss and predation by American mink. The water vole is found throughout England, Wales and Scotland, though their distribution is patchy. Being semi-aquatic, it has flaps of skin over the ears to keep the water out when swimming.

WILDCATS - Up until the 1800's wildcats were found in many parts of Britain. Today they are mainly confined to northern Scotland, living on high hills, in old fox dens, hollow trees or in dens under rocks. Wildcats look a little like large domestic tabby cats. They differ from feral cats (which are domestic cats gone wild) in that the tail has black rings all along it and a rounded black tip. Feral cats have a more pointed tail.

FALLOW DEER Fallow deer graze mostly in the mornings and evenings, and rest up during the daytime under the shade of trees. The males can be recognized by the large flat areas on the antlers. The Fallow Deer can be found wild in some forest areas, such as Epping Forest, The New Forest & The Forest of Dean, as well as many of the larger parks in Britain. The Fallow Deer feeds on grass and low growing vegetation, as well as leaves on trees.

PEACOCK BUTTERFLY. The Peacock is a familiar sight in gardens across the British Isles and is unmistakable, with quite spectacular eyes on the upperside of the hindwings that give this butterfly its name. The underside is almost black, providing perfect camouflage when the butterfly is at rest on a tree trunk, or when hibernating. The butterfly is able to make a hissing sound by rubbing its wings together that is audible to human ears.

WEASEL Weasels have long slender bodies which are ideal for squeezing down mouse holes in search of prey. They will often use these mouse holes to sleep in. The Weasel can be found all over mainland Britain, Isle of Wight, Anglesey and Skye. They are absent from Ireland. They can be seen all year round & normally found on farmland, around farm buildings, park land, and waste ground. Anywhere there is food! The weasel eats mice, voles, shrews, small rabbits, birds and birds eggs.

THE MOLE The Mole is around 15cm in length & weighs approx 100 to 150 grams.They can be found in most of lowland Britain, but not in Northern Ireland. The mole can be seen all year round,& live below ground in woodlands, fields, meadows and gardens. They eat earthworms. Moles will only eat enough worms to satisfy their appetite. Surplus worms are prevented from escaping by biting off their heads and then storing in a special part of the tunnel, known as the 'moles larder'.

BUMBLEBEES Bumblebees are endearing and familiar insects. Their animated behaviour and deep buzz as they fly from flower to flower makes them a delight to watch. Sadly though, our bumblebees have been declining because of changes in agricultural practices. Bumblebees are found in a variety of habitats and most people should be able to attract them to their gardens if they have the right kinds of flowering plants.

LITTLE OWL The Little Owl can be seen in the daylight, usually perching on a tree branch, telegraph pole or rock. It will bob its head up and down when alarmed. In flight it has long, rounded wings, rapid wingbeats and flies with a slight undulation. The Little Owl can be found in England and Wales with a few in southern Scotland. It likes lowland farmland with hedges and copses, parkland and orchards. Most common in central, southern and south eastern England, and the Welsh borders.

CANADIAN GOOSE A large goose, with a distinctive black head and neck and large white throat patch. An introduced species from N America, it has successfully spread to cover most of the UK.

WOOD MOUSE The Wood Mouse, also known as the Long Tailed Field Mouse is probably the most common mammal in the UK. The fur on the back is brown in colour - dark along the spine and lighter on the sides. The belly and underside fur is a creamy-white. Wood mice live in an underground burrow, coming out at night to feed. Underground, they build up a store of food for the winter. Although they don't hibernate, they do become less active during the winter.

MUTE SWAN The mute swan is a very large white waterbird. It has a long S-shaped neck, and an orange bill with black at the base of it. Flies with its neck extended and regular slow wingbeats. Some birds stay in their territories all year, while others move short distances and form winter flocks. In cold weather, some birds arrive from Europe into eastern England.