My connection
Norman has a strong connection to the land, having farmed in the local area for sixty years, and has watched the natural habitats evolve. Most of all he likes being outside in the fresh air, as it…
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Chwilio
Natterjack toad
The rare natterjack toad is found at just a few coastal locations, where it prefers shallow pools on sand dunes, heaths and marshes.
Red-and-black froghopper
This distinctive bug is often seen basking on low-growing plants in spring and summer.
Lowland heath
Heathlands form some of the wildest landscapes in the lowlands, where agriculture and development jostle for space, containing and limiting natural processes. Once considered as waste land of…
Bilberry
Bilberries appear in summer and early autumn and are often turned into jams, pies and sauces...
Shepherd's purse
Shepherd's purse is often considered a 'weed'. It produces a lot of seeds and can be found on cultivated and disturbed land, such as arable fields, tracks and gardens.
Large heath
This bog-loving butterfly is mostly found in the north of the UK, where it takes to the wing in summer.
Heathland and moorland
These wild, open landscapes stretch over large areas and are most often found in uplands. Although slow to awaken in spring, by late summer heathland can be an eye-catching purple haze of heather…
Oyster drill
This is a predominantly subtidal species but can be found on the lowest parts of a sheltered rocky shore in summer.
Swollen-thighed beetle
This metallic green beetle can be seen visiting flowers on sunny days in spring and summer.
Tree pipit
This streaky brown bird is a summer visitor to Britain, favouring open woodlands in the north and west.
Dingy skipper
The moth-like dingy skipper is a small, grey-brown butterfly of open, sunny habitats like chalk grassland, sand dunes, heathland and waste ground.