Congratulations! The goldcrest is the UK’s smallest bird, with grey-green plumage and a distinctive yellow stripe on the head. It is only 9cm long and weighs just 6g. From top left, clockwise: wren, goldcrest, robin, blue tit
Bad luck! The goldcrest is the UK’s smallest bird, with grey-green plumage and a distinctive yellow stripe on the head. It is only 9cm long and weighs just 6g. From top left, clockwise: wren, goldcrest, robin, blue tit
Foxes often sleep above ground and often only use burrows – known as earths – during the breeding season in spring.
The area around an earth can be quite messy, including the remains of prey.
A group of foxes is known as a skulk – though they are not social creatures and only really spend time together when rearing their young.
The cubs are born with grey fur and only develop the familiar reddish orange colouring after around six weeks.
Foxes are distantly related to the domestic dog, but the two species parted company about seven million year ago and they evolved into quite different creatures.
They are most active after dark but can sometimes be seen out and about during the day, particularly just after dawn and before dusk.
Foxes are believed to use the earth’s magnetic field to help them hunt. They normally jump on prey in a north-easterly direction and scientists believe this may be because they are able to visualise magnetic north lies, which enables them to better judge the distance and direction of their pounce.
Horse chestnuts have dramatic white flowers in early summer and in autumn produce spiky seed cases containing the famous conkers.
The trees can live for 300 years and are easily identified by their palmate shaped leaves, made up of five or seven leaflets, and spreading branches.
Deer eat the conkers and the leaves provide food for horse chestnut leaf miner moths, which are in turn eaten by blue tits.
Horse chestnuts are not a native species but were introduced to the UK from the Balkans in the 16th century.