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England’s chalk downlands: 'The European equivalent of a tropical rainforest'
Every summer, England’s chalk downlands are embroidered with a patch-work of wildflowers — from the horseshoe vetch’s yellow plumes to sainfoin’s pink spikes — all serenaded by an army of butterflies, says Vicky Liddell.
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The 2023 Big Butterfly Count is almost here — and it'll be the most important for a generation
The Big Butterfly Count always gives a vital snapshot of Nature in Britain, but this year more than ever thanks to the extremes of hot, cold and wet we've been through in the past year. James Fisher explains more.
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Puffins: The clowns of the sea
It might look adorable, but the stumpy and dangerously endangered puffin is a ruthlessly efficient fish killer that’s so hellbent on finding its family a home, it will chase rabbits out of their own burrows, observes Ian Morton. Photographs by Drew Buckley.
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Curious Questions: Why do stars twinkle?
'Twinkle twinkle little star' isn't just a nursery rhyme: it's an astronomical phenomenon. But what causes it? Martin Fone takes a look at why stars twinkle.
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Peacocks: Everything you need to know about 'the limousine of the avian kingdom'
Graceful peafowl have never been shy about coming forward, although most of us admire the males’ flamboyant tail feathers — long a vibrant and striking motif — far more than their grating cries, says Harry Pearson.
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The centuries-old grudge over the name of the tiny Dartford warbler
After years of decline, the Dartford warbler has returned to the area of old Kent where it was discovered 250 years ago, reviving a feud over its name, finds Russell Higham.
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How to tell a blue tit from great tits, coal tits and the rest of Britain's tit population
Ornithologist and author Stephen Moss on the tits of Britain, from the blue tit and great tit to the crested tit and coal tit — plus the pair of 'tits' that aren't really tits at all.
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How to get rid of rats
Getting rid of rats isn't easy: they're a notoriously destructive and stubborn breed, and require patience and determination to eradicate.
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Where to see Britain's last remaining wild orchids, by the 'orchid thief' who risked prison to save these beautiful plants
The enchantingly beautiful native orchid is, tragically, one of Britain’s most endangered wildflowers, but it’s still possible to see them if you look in the right places, says Ben Jacob, author of The Orchid Outlaw.
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Curious Questions: Are rainbows actually circular?
Martin Fone delves into the science — and art — of the rainbow.
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15 of the most incredible pictures from the 2023 British Wildlife Photography Awards
Nature’s fierce beauty emerges forcefully from the 2023 British Wildlife Photography Awards. Our Picture Editor Lucy Ford has the pick of the best shots, from a somnolent fox to a hungry buzzard.
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The 15-mile route through Sheffield that's as invigorating as any walk in the country
The 15-mile Sheffield Round is where city meets countryside to gorgeous effect, says Fiona Reynolds.
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The seven bumblebees you'll see in Britain, and how to identify them
The lovely bumblebee may look a little sozzled and slow compared to many species, yet one bumblebee is all it takes to make a prairie and its buzz is the soundtrack of a thriving world. Harry Pearson takes a look, and explains how to identify bumblebees you'll spot in a British garden this spring and summer.
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Britain’s birds of prey: The Country Life guide to all of the UK’s raptors
Raptors’ supersonic vision, effortless aerial acrobatics and ruthless hunting instinct make them the undisputed masters of the skies, but can you tell a merlin from a hobby or a goshawk from a sparrowhawk? Simon Lester explains the basics of these fascinating creatures and then gives a rundown of all 15 of Britain's raptor species.
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Jason Goodwin: 'My evenings spent sticking the pots together with Gorilla glue have been the most satisfactory of the season'
Jason's restorative handiwork gives him a thrill of satisfaction that no mere purchase could ever hope to equal.
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Whose coos are whose? The five types of pigeon you’ll see in Britain
There are 300 members of the pigeon family — or 'columba', as its properly known — and they're found on every continent. Only five are found in appreciable numbers in the wild in Britain, however, as Vicky Liddell explains.
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Jonathan Self: 'Everyone deserves to engage with Nature, but enough is enough'
Jonathan Self muses on birds with bad sense of direction, militant ramblers and the plight of a camel-herding nomad.
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Celandine: The delicate flower, harbinger of spring, which Wordsworth thought more beautiful than daffodils
Lauded by Wordsworth for their ‘glittering countenance’, the appearance of the first celandines and the swallow’s return to our shores are Ian Morton’s favourite, and much anticipated, harbingers of spring.
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A day in the life of an oak tree, from mistle thrush in the morning to mice at midnight
Among their deceptively inert branches, trees shelter feathered Pavarottis, scuttling beetles, opportunistic fungi and fierce owls. John Lewis-Stempel recounts a day in the life of an oak and the creatures that call it home.
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Curious Questions: Can you hear the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights — or Aurora Borealis — are among the planet's most extraordinary natural phenomena. Even stranger than their ethereal glow, however, is the fact that they can be heard as well as seen. Martin Fone explains more.
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Frogs: Why we love them, why we don't, and the real-life Kermit frog
Once a symbol of fertility and more recently a figure of fun, the frog has always loomed large in folklore, and not only as a means of finding a prince.
