This, one of Britain’s largest carnivores, has a long slender body with short legs, webbed feet, and a thick muscular tail. Due to its’ nocturnal habits and shy nature, the otter is rarely seen in the wild. Its’ presence is often given away by field signs such as footprints and spraint (droppings).

Otters usually inhabit rivers, canals and lakes. However in some areas they are also coastal. They mainly feed on fish. Other prey items include mammals, amphibians and invertebrates such as crayfish.

otters © Whitfield Benson, North Yorkshire County Council

otter footprint © James Mortimer

otter spraint © James Mortimer

tansy beetle © Duncan Sivell

This butterfly is frequently found on downland, dunes, heaths, embankments, woodland rides and occasionally damper areas. The caterpillar feeds on greater bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus) and lesser bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus).

dingy skipper © Whitfield Benson, North Yorkshire County Council

Pillwort belongs to the ferns group of plants. The leaves are cylindrical, up to 10cm long, and uncurl from a coiled tip. Spores are produced from spherical capsules found at the base of the leaves. It grows in muddy margins of ponds, lakes and slow-flowing rivers.

pillwort © David Holyoak, Plantlife

This is a small snail which inhabits short, dry calcareous grassland on stoney or sandy soils. It is usually found at the roots of grasses and stonecrops. The cylindrical whorl snail has become rare due to habitat destruction.

cylindrical whorl snail © James Mortimer

This is a water beetle found in shallow water within relict fen sites. It has a very scattered distribution in Britain.

The bluebell has linear leaves, all growing from the base of the plant. These are glossy green and have hooded tips. The single flowering stem has at the end a series of drooping bell-shaped flowers.

There are also two other bluebells in Britain, the non-native spanish bluebell (Hyacinthoides hispanica) and a hybrid between this and the native bluebell.

bluebells © Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

The spotted flycatcher is brown or grey-brown above with darker brown stripes on the crown. The underparts are greyish white with brown streaks on the breast and the tail is squared. The juvenile is paler and is more mottled in appearance. This bird has a habit of flicking its wings and wagging its tail. The pied flycatcher looks similar but is smaller. The mistle thrush and redwing are also similar.

It nests in an open cavity in a tree, in creepers and ivy in open woodland, parkland, plantation, garden and hedgerows with trees or in houses or other buildings (in places such as window ledges or holes in the wall). The diet is exclusively insects. A summer visitor to Britain, the spotted flycatcher arrives in May and will leave in July/ August.

spotted flycatcher © Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

The Song Thrush is similar in size to the blackbird. It has brown upperparts and dark spots on the underneath. The throat and belly are paler and the head is streaked. It has a distinctive song with each of the separate phrases often repeated more than once. It could be confused with the mistle thrush, however the song thrush is smaller, more brown and has smaller spots.

It breeds in woodland, hedgerows and in parks and gardens with suitable shrubby cover. Often eats snails, which it breaks into by smashing them with flick a flick of the head. Other components of the diet include worms and fruit.

song thrush © J. Linton Smith

Fairly small and slim in build, the tree pipit is a streaked warm brown colour above and pale below. It has a conspicuous pale eye-ring, wing bars and boldly spotted breast. The legs are pale pink with a short hind claw. This species looks similar to the meadow pipit but can be distinguished by a heavier bill, shorter hind claw and streaking on the flanks.

Found in heaths, woodland clearings, fields with scattered trees and hillsides, the tree pipit is a summer visitor to Britain (present from April to September). It builds its nest in long grass or bracken and eats berries and small invertebrates. Populations have declined steadily over the last 25 years.

This bird is recognisable by its short, deep bill joining the curve of its relatively large head. It has rather short and rounded wings and a squared tail. Both the males and females have a black cap, wings and tail, whitish wing patches and a white rump, which is very distinctive when seen from behind as the bird flies off. The male bird has a blue-grey mantle with pinkish underparts while the female has a dark grey mantle and back of the neck with pale-brown underparts tinged pink.

It inhabits woodland, orchards, wasteland, parks, gardens and farmland.

bullfinch © Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

This is the smallest of the sparrows, recognised by the brown crown and the black spot on each side of its’ head, with an almost complete white collar. Nests in holes in trees, nest-boxes and houses.

tree sparrow © Whitfield Benson, North Yorkshire County Council

The corn bunting measures approximately 17cm, and is a stout, dumpy bird and the largest of the buntings. It has a stubby bill and round head. The upper body is dull brown and the underneath is white. There are distinct streaks on all parts except the belly. When in flight its legs tend to dangle. Similar species are the skylark and yellowhammer (see text for photographs and descriptions of these two birds).

Often seen perching on roadside fence-posts or bushes, within open farmland, wasteland or hedges. Nests in hedge bottoms, long grass or thistles. It is largely dependent on arable land, particularly barley crop. The corn bunting eats seeds and insects.

corn bunting © Mike Richards, RSPB Images www.rspb-images.com

The grey partridge is a medium-sized rounded bird with a small head and short tail. It has a distinctive pale orange face with grey neck and chest and white underneath its wings. There are chestnut-coloured bars on its sides and the male has a dark brown horseshoe-shaped pattern on his lower breast. The red-legged partridge and corncrake are similar species.

This bird is found in farmland, pasture, wasteland and moorland. It nests in hedge bottoms and corn fields and feeds on leaves, seeds and insects. Once very common, this species has declined dramatically throughout most of its range.

grey partridge© Chris Gomersall, RSPB Images www.rspb-images.com

The turtle dove is relatively small when compared to other doves. It has a dark-spotted brown back and inner wings, bluish outer wings and a dark, almost black tail with white around the edge. The head is grey and there is a conspicuous black and white striped patch on the neck. Its upperparts are mottled brown and black. The turtle dove could be confused with the collared dove, except that the former is smaller and darker.

This bird nest in bushes, thickets or orchards within open country with hedges or small woods, where it feeds exclusively on seeds. It is present in Britain between April and September, spending the winter in Africa.

The starling has a very dark green/ purple plumage, speckled with white. The long, sharp bill appears yellow in the Spring and dusky in the winter. It has red-brown legs, a short tail and triangular wings.

Starlings are often seen feeding on insects on open ground in urban areas or in the open countryside. Still common in gardens, they have declined in other habitats. They nest in holes in trees, buildings and nest boxes.

starling © Chris Gomersall, RSPB Images www.rspb-images.com

The male bird has a dark grey crown, a black throat and breast, and white cheeks. The female is a dull brown above and grey-white below with no distinctive marks. Common in urban areas and also found inhabiting cultivated land. Nest in holes, often in buildings.

male house sparrow © Whitfield Benson, North Yorkshire County Council

female house sparrow © Whitfield Benson, North Yorkshire County Council

The yellowhammer is a small bird with yellow head and breast. The head has black pattern (more noticeable in the female) and the breast is streaked with brown. The rump is a chestnut brown. It can be confused with the cirl bunting, from which it can be distinguished by its brown rump.

The yellowhammer is a bird of open country, farmland, heaths, scrubland and roadside habitats and can often be seen perched on top of hedges or bushes. It feeds on seeds and insects and is resident in Britain all year round.

yellowhammer © Andy Hay, RSPB Images www.rspb-images.com

The most common of the finches, the linnet is small and slim and has a dark grey bill, brown back and a white breast. The male is distinguished by his red forehead and breast (the female being streaked grey-brown).

Usually it is found in open countryside with hedgerows, lowland farmland and saltmarshes. However, it is becoming more common in parks and gardens. Linnets tend to congregate in large flocks in the winter. Their diet consists of seeds and insects.

The head, breast and upper parts of the skylark are brown with streaks, whilst the underparts and the sides of the tail are white. On its head is a small crest which is raised when the bird is alarmed. It has a very distinctive high-pitched musical song. Similar species include the woodlark, corn bunting and meadow pipit.

A ground nesting bird, the skylark is often seen hovering high above open ground during the breeding season. It inhabits mainly lowland farming areas but may also be found on moors, fields, marshes and sand dunes. The skylarks' diet consists of seeds and insects.

skylark © James Mortimer

The brown hare is bigger than a rabbit and can be distinguished by the longer, black-tipped ears and dark upperside of the tail. Hares are found in open country in grassland and farmland. Woods and hedgerows are frequently used as resting places. The Mad March hare behaviour is usually an unreceptive female chasing off a male, rather than two males ‘boxing’.

brown hare © Dave Southall

Harvest mice are found in areas with long grass, dry reedbeds, hay meadows and cereal crops. They make nests out of grass (see photograph), which are usually 30-60cm above ground level. These are spherical and measure approximately 10cm in diameter. Nocturnal by nature, this species is mostly solitary and feeds on cereals, berries and insects.

The harvest mouse is red-brown above and white underneath with small hairy vole-like ears. The tip of the tail is prehensile, which means it can use it to hold on to the stems of vegetation. It is the smallest rodent in Britain and Europe, weighing between 5 and 11 grams.

Harvest mouse nest © Robert Masheder

The barn owl is widely distributed throughout Britain and other parts of the world, however it has suffered a decline as a result of agricultural intensification which has lead to a loss of hunting grounds. It can be seen hunting for small mammals (mice, voles and shrews) along field edges, road verges or open country at dusk, or sometimes during the day in winter. It inhabits and breeds in farm buildings but also in church towers and other structures.

A very easily recognisable bird, with a distinctive heart-shape face and long legs. It has a pale brown colouration on the upper parts and white on the breast.

barn owl © John Markham, RSPB Images www.rspb-images.com

The snipe is a medium-sized wading bird with a long straight bill and relatively small head and short legs. Colouration is a black and brown mottled pattern with dark lines on the head and golden lines along the back. Similar species include jack snipe and woodcock.

The common snipe is found in wetland habitats such as marshes, wet meadows and sewage farms, where it feeds on small invertebrates (especially worms and insect larvae). It can be seen in Britain all year round, and additional birds will come here during the winter from northern Europe. This species has suffered moderate decline in numbers over the last 25 years, particularly in areas of lowland wet grassland.

snipe © Whitfield Benson, North Yorkshire County Council

The lapwing has a characteristic long crest that extends from the back of it’s head. It is green-black and white and has relatively short legs. The wings appear very broad and rounded when in flight.

Most commonly found on farmland, especially amongst Spring crops adjacent to grass and bare ground, this bird is gregarious and is often seen in large flocks during the winter months. It has suffered a significant decline over the last 25 years. The diet is mainly worms and insects.

lapwing © Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

lapwing nest © James Mortimer

A slender bird approximately 16cm tall with a long tail and black legs. Colouration varies, however a typical male will have a green back and a yellow underneath.  There are two whitish-yellow bars on the mostly black wing and the head is bright yellow with a yellow-green crown and cheeks. Other similar species include the grey wagtail, pied wagtail, yellowhammer and water pipit.

Yellow wagtails are summer migrants, which winter in Africa, India and South-east Asia. They arrive in late March and leave in September. In Britain they are usually found near water in meadows or marshes, where they spend a lot of time on the ground looking for small flies or beetles. Sometimes they are also found in cereal crops.

This plant is a bushy, hairless perennial with long-stalked dark green leaves. The flower has no petals, but rather five enlarged green sepals. It is found growing in calcareous woodlands.

green hellebore © Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

The marsh gentian grows up to 30cm tall and has blunt linear leaves arranged in opposite pairs up the stem. The bright blue flowers are grouped together at the end of the stem, each having five green stripes on the outside.

This is a plant of grassland habitats. It has a flowering range of June to September.

marsh gentian © Derek Ratcliffe, Plantlife

The nightjar is a nocturnal ground-nesting species, which predates moths and beetles. It has a broad head, long pointed wings and a long tail. The grey-brown speckled and barred plumage provide excellent camouflage. The nightjar produces a very characteristic churring sound.

Nightjars are found on recently felled conifer plantations, moors, commons and open woodland glades, where they can be seen hawking for food at dusk and dawn. They arrive in Britain in late April and stay until August or September.

nightjar © Mike Richards, RSPB Images www.rspb-images.com

The woodlark is streaked brown with a white eye stripe across its nape. It has a well-developed, yet often inconspicuous crest on its head, rounded wings and a short tail. Other similar species include the tree pipit and skylark.

This bird breeds in areas of grazed heathland, recently felled conifer plantations and open woodland. It often over-winters in farmland fields. The diet consists of seeds and insects.

The adder is easily recognised by the dark zig-zag pattern along its back and tail. Males have a grey background colour, whilst female colouration is more of a pale brown. They are usually less than 80cm in length. The adder is Britains’ only venomous snake, however it rarely poses a threat to humans. Distribution is mostly limited to heathland areas. Preys on small mammals and other reptiles

adder © Whitfield Benson, North Yorkshire County Council

A water beetle associated with relict fens and fen drains. It has a widespread but very local distribution.

Quite a small and slim bird about the size of a sparrow with a black head and white collar. The tail is long and deeply notched with white edges. The female (and male in winter) has a streaked head.

The reed bunting is usually found in dense vegetation near to the water's edge. It is also found in young plantations, overgrown ditches and occasionally in crops. It feeds on seeds and insects. Similar in appearance to the yellowhammer (see text for photographs and descriptions of this bird).

reed bunting © Ian Robinson

This is a flightless water beetle, found in stagnant water bodies and relict fens (often those that dry up in summer). It is also sometimes found in newly dug gravel pits. It is widespread but very local.

The bittern is a large heron-like bird, which is more often heard than seen (producing a deep ‘boom’ noise). It is mottled brown with short green legs, large feet and broad, rounded, bowed wings. It spends the daytime in amongst reed beds, where it hunts for fish, amphibians and insects and is also where it nests. Because of its very secretive nature it is difficult to see.

bittern © Andy Hay, RSPB Images www.rspb-images.com

This is similar in size to a mute swan, with a long thin erect neck and black legs. The bill is long and has a large yellow triangular patch on it. It could be confused with bewick’s swan, however this is a less substantial bird and the yellow patch on the bill is smaller.

Whooper swans are found on lakes, rivers and tidal areas during the winter months (October to March). They feed on aquatic plants, grasses, grain and potatoes.

whooper swan © Andy Hay, RSPB Images www.rspb-images.com