Magpie

Pica pica

Family: Corvidae (Crows)

Habitat: Gardens and parks and grasslands.

Size: L 41-51 cm (16-20 in) inc. T 20-30cm (8-12 in). WS 56-61 cm (22-24 in).

Food: Omnivore.

Voice: Cha-cha-cha.

Season: All year round.

The Eurasian magpie is among the most intelligent of all animals.

Kestrel

Falco tinnunculus

Family: Falconidae (Falcons and allies)

Habitat: Farmland, woodland, grassland and heathland.

Size: Length 32-39 cm (13-15 in). Wingspan 65-82 cm (26-32 in).

Food: Small mammals and birds.

Voice: Piercing Kee-kee-kee.

Season: All year round.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Kestrels hover at a height of about 10-20 metres either by flying into the wind or by soaring using ridge lift before swooping down on their prey.

Peregrine

Falco peregrinus

Family: Falconidae (Falcons and allies)

Habitat: Marsh, sea cliffs and purple moor grass and rush pasture.

Size: Length 34-58 cm (13-23 in). Wingspan 74-120 cm (29-47 in).

Food: Small and medium sized birds.

Voice: Harsh reck-reck-reck.

Season: All year round.

Hunts at dawn and dusk, swooping down on birds in flight at great speed usually knocking them out with the impact.

Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

Family: Laridae (Gulls)

Habitat: Sea cliffs.

Size: Length 37-41 cm (15-16 in). Wingspan 91-105 cm (36-41 in).

Food: Fish, shrimps and worms.

Voice: Kittii-wa-aake, kittii-wa-aake.

Season: All year round. Resident February until August.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

The kittiwake (Black-legged) nests on coastal cliffs in large, dense and noisy colonies.

Hobby

Falco subbuteo

Family: Falconidae (Falcons and allies)

Habitat: Savanna, farmland, heathlands, marsh and wetlands and freshwaters.

Size: Length 29-36 cm (11-14 in). Wingspan 74-84 cm (29-33 in). Weight. 175-285 g (6.2-10.1 oz)

Food: Insects, small birds and bats.

Season: Early April to late October.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Hobbies nest in old nests of crows and other birds.

Raven

Corvus corax

Family: Corvidae (Crows)

Habitat: Coastal, grasslands and woodland.

Size: Length 63 cm (25 in).

Food: Omnivorous - carrion, cereal grains, berries and fruit.

Season: All year round.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Mated pairs travel together and young birds form flocks.

Whitethroat

Sylvia communis

Family: Sylviidae (Warblers and allies)

Habitat: Heathlands and woodland.

Food: Insects, berries and fruit.

Voice: Wed-wed or woid-woid. Harsh tschack.

Season: Early April to late October.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Winters in tropical Africa, Arabia, and Pakistan.

Fulmar

Fulmarus glacialis

Family: Procellariidae (Shearwaters and allies)

Habitat: Sea cliffs.

Size: Length 46 cm (18 in). Wingspan 102-112 cm (40-44 in).

Food: Shrimp, fish, squid, plankton, jellyfish, carrion and crustaceans.

Season: All year round.

IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern

Small Blue

Cupido minimus

Family: Lycaenidae (Blue)

Habitat: Woodland, sea cliffs and lowland calcareous grassland.

Size: 12 mm.

Food: Kidney vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria).

Flight: Early April to late September.

The male has some bluish suffusion at the base of its upper wings but is mostly dark brown like the female.

Green Hairstreak

Callophrys rubi

Family: Lycaenidae (Blue)

Habitat: Grasslands, heathlands and scrub.

Size: Length 15 mm (0.6 in).

Food: Many shrubs and herbs also gorse, broom, heather, bilberry, rock-rose and others.

Flight: Early June to late September. June till September.

The upper side is brown but can never be seen at rest as it always closes its wings.

In flight the green and brown flashing of the wings camouflages it well.

Marbled White

Melanargia galathea

Family: Nymphalidae (Brush-footed)

Habitat: Grasslands, woodland and arable field margins.

Size: Length 22-28 mm (0.9-1.1 in).

Food: Grasses (larva). Thistles, Knapweeds, Clovers, Marjoram, Thyme and Yarrow (adult).

Flight: Early June to late August.

Winter is passed as a small lime-green caterpillar.

Ringlet

Aphantopus hyperantus

Family: Nymphalidae (Brush-footed)

Habitat: Meadows, hedgerows, mixed scrub and woodland clearings and edges.

Size: Length 19 mm (0.7 in)

Food: Various grasses.

Flight: Early June to late August.

Named after the rings on the hindwings, the ringlet is one of the few that flies on overcast days.

Clouded Yellow

Colias croceus

Family: Pieridae (Yellows-and-Whites)

Habitat: Grasslands, meadows and sea cliffs.

Size: Length 24 mm (0.9 in)

Food: Clovers, lucerne (alfalfa), vetches et al.

Flight: Early April to late October. April to October.

Fast-flying butterfly that winters as a caterpillar.

Common Blue

Polyommatus icarus

Family: Lycaenidae (Blue)

Habitat: Farmland, gardens and parks, grassland, heathland, meadows and orchards.

Size: Length 17 mm (0.7 in). Wingspan 29-36 mm (1.1-1.4 in).

Food: Common bird's-foot-trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) and other legumes.

Flight: Early April to late October.

Females are dark brown with bright orange spots near the wing tips. Both male and female have black and white borders.

Dingy Skipper

Erynnis tages

Family: Hesperiidae (skipper)

Habitat: Grasslands, heathlands, sand dunes, scrub, lowland calcareous grassland and woodland clearings and edges.

Size: Wingspan 27-34 mm (1.1-1.3 in).

Food: Bird's-foot trefoil, horseshoe vetch and greater bird's-foot trefoil.

Flight: Early April to late August. Swift and low.

The caterpillar creates a shelter by spinning leaves together and feeds until fully grown in August. It then creates a larger hibernaculum where it hibernates.

Silver-spotted Skipper

Hesperia comma

Family: Hesperiidae (skipper)

Habitat: Lowland calcareous grassland.

Food: Sheep's-fescue (larva). Thistles (adult).

Flight: Early July to late September.

Named after thesilver spots on the underside of its forewing. The male is distinguished from the female by a dark line of specialised scent scales on its forewings.

Dark Green Fritillary

Argynnis aglaja

Family: Nymphalidae (Brush-footed)

Habitat: Grasslands, heathlands, woodland and sand dunes.

Size: Length 30 mm (1.2 in).

Food: Violets (viola).

Flight: Early June to late August.

The underside of the hindwing and underside tip of the forewing are greenish.

A fast flying butterfly.

Adonis Blue

Polyommatus bellargus

Family: Lycaenidae (Blue)

Habitat: Lowland calcareous grassland.

Size: Length 17 mm (0.7 in).

Food: Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa).

Flight: Early May to late September.

Females are chocolate brown. Both male and female have black and white borders.

Chalkhill Blue

Polyommatus coridon

Family: Lycaenidae (Blue)

Habitat: Lowland calcareous grassland.

Size: Length 18 mm (0.7 in). Wingspan 33-40 mm (1.3- 1.6 in).

Food: Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa).

Flight: Early July to late September.

Females are dark brown. Both male and female have black and white borders.

Potter Flower-bee

Anthophora retusa

Family: Apidae (Bees)

Habitat: Coastal and sea cliffs.

Food: Kidney Vetch (A. vulneraria), Horseshoe Vetch (H. comosa), Birds-foot Trefoil (L. corniculatus).

Season: All year round.

IUCN Conservation Status: Threatened - Critically Endangered

Only exists in a few sites on England's south coast.

Horseshoe Vetch

Hippocrepis comosa

Family: Leguminosae

Habitat: Lowland calcareous grassland.

Size: Height 10 cm (4 in).

Pollinator: Insects especially bees (including Osmia xanthomelana), butterflies and moths.

Scent: Highly scented.

Flowering Period: Early May to early June.