SPECIES TO LOOK OUT FOR
Stone curlew
A startling sandy-coloured wader with long yellow legs, large yellow staring eyes and short, blacktipped bill, the stone curlew cannot be confused with any other British bird. It underwent a long-term decline, but conservation efforts are finally paying dividends, with the breeding population now over 350 pairs.
Woodlark
Slightly smaller than its more celebrated cousin, the woodlark also has a shorter tail, less-obvious crest and a clear-cut black-and-white patch at the bend of the wing when perched. More than 3,000 pairs now nest in Britain. Listen out for the males’ sweetly musical song, which incorporates a series of fluty ‘lu-lu-lu’ notes.
Adder
Britain’s only venomous snake is a stocky beast, with a dark zigzag running along its back. The species has disappeared from many of its previous haunts, but having said that, can still be surprisingly common in rough grasslands where there is a reasonable amount of cover and human disturbance is kept to a minimum.
Green hairstreak
Diminutive and charming in equal measure, the green hairstreak’s outstanding features are its vivid green underwings, which can be clearly observed at rest. The first adults emerge in mid to late April, with the
males taking up territorial perching posts, such as gorse bushes, as they wait for females to flutter past.
Tormentil
This is the quintessential flower of acid grassland, heathland and even moorland. Tormentil has buttercup-like flowers, but differs in having four petals, rather than five. It always grows close to the ground, and has deeply toothed leaves, which have a silvery underside. A fine source of nectar for solitary bees.