Author: Amanda Scott

  • Badger

    Badger

    With its striking black and white striped head, the badger is one of our most instantly recognisable mammals. Photo: Caroline Legg, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Pallas’s Warbler

    Pallas’s Warbler

    This autumn and winter visitor to The Lizard was hanging out at Coverack’s sewage works in early 2019. Photo: Dougy Wright

  • Carline Thistle

    Carline Thistle

    Late-flowering Carline Thistles bring a touch of gold to the early autumn landscape at Kennack Sands. The dry flowerheads persist through the winter. Photo: Steve Townsend

  • Glossy Ibis

    Glossy Ibis

    This beautiful wader used to be considered a vagrant, but is becoming a more common, if still occasional, migratory visitor. Croft Pascoe Pool, on Goonhilly Downs is a good place to spot one. Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Barn Owl

    Barn Owl

    Also known as the Ghost Owl, this nocturnal bird of prey can sometimes be seen hunting during the day. An early evening or dusk walk through the National Trust’s Penrose estate or Windmill Farm may well be accompanied by a Barn Owl’s screeching, or perhaps even a glimpse of its ghostly flight. Photo: © Richard Birchett

  • Broad-bodied Chaser

    Broad-bodied Chaser

    Windmill Farm is a haven for dragon- and damselflies, including species such as this Broad-bodied Chaser. Photo: © Natural England/Allan Drewitt

  • Green Tiger Beetle

    Green Tiger Beetle

    This might be our commonest tiger beetle, but its metallic green hue and long-legged bursts of speed make it a delight to see in the spring and summer. Photo: © Natural England/Allan Drewitt

  • Firecrest

    Firecrest

    A flash of fiery bronze – watch out for flocks of beautiful Firecrests in the spring.Photo: © Richard Birchett

  • Snowdrops

    Snowdrops

    In February, the weather might still be cold and blustery, but snowdrops, the early heralds of spring, are already poking out their gleaming white heads. Photo: Amanda Scott

  • Exmoor Pony

    Exmoor Pony

    This tough pony is another of our hard-working grazers, helping to conserve the heathland and coastal habitats of The Lizard. Photo: Steve Townsend

  • Pigmy Rush

    Pigmy Rush

    In the early days of summer, look out for diminutive, pink-flushed Pigmy Rush along the ancient trackways of The Lizard. Photo: Amanda Scott

  • Humpback Whale

    Humpback Whale

    You never know – you may, with a pinch of luck, spot a Humpback Whale off The Lizard’s coastline over the autumn and winter months.Photo: Sylke Rohrlach, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Highland Cattle

    Highland Cattle

    The hardiness of this distinctive breed makes it an excellent choice for conservation grazing. Photo: Steve Townsend

  • Shetland Pony

    Shetland Pony

    We might be at the other end of the land from the far northern isles, but you can still spot Shetland ponies on The Lizard, doing their bit for conservation. Photo: Steve Townsend

  • Black Bryony

    Black Bryony

    Autumn is setting in, which means it’s almost berry season! You can look forward to Elder, Hawthorn, Holly, and the lovely but poisonous red berries of Black Bryony (pictured). Photo: © Natural England/Peter Wakely

  • Lesser Centaury

    Lesser Centaury

    Look for for Lesser Centaury in summer and early autumn along coastal clifftops. Photo: Steve Townsend