NATURE GUIDE What will you spot? 1
In an increasingly fast-paced and crowded world, our historic canals and rivers provide local havens for people and nature. Protecting the 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales is a big job and the Canal & River Trust is the charity entrusted with their care. It s thanks to kind donations that we can maintain our wonderful, historic waterways and protect the diverse wildlife that enriches all our lives. There are lots of ways to show your support. Find out more at canalrivertrust.org.uk It s time to explore Spring, summer, autumn or winter, our waterways are always teeming with wildlife. And now spotting it will be so much easier with your Nature Guide. It s divided into four sections to help you tick off wildlife you see in the water, on the bank, around the hedgerows and in the trees. Look out for these symbols to find out what you re likely to see at different times of year. Waterways are vibrant and diverse habitats, and with your guide in hand, we hope you ll enjoy learning more about our precious canals and rivers, and the bountiful, beautiful wildlife they harbour. S pring Summer Autumn Happy nature spotting! Winter 2 3
1 2 3 4 5 Top 5 easy spots Lunches packed, binoculars at the ready. These easy spots are great for getting kids excited about nature. 1. Butterflies A top spot for summertime, there are more than 50 species to see. 2. Blackberries The delicious, soft, black fruit offers food for animals and humans alike. 3. Mallard ducks A favourite with kids, ducks are a regular sight along the canals. 4. Swans These beautiful, elegant birds are the monarchs of the waterways. 5. Squirrels Where there are nuts, there are grey squirrels, so look out for fruiting trees. 4 5
Rare species 2 3 1 These rare species are top spots. Keep a close eye out for these ones and a be sure to share a photo if you are lucky enough to see one! 1. Kingfishers These small birds hunt by diving for fish. Their striking blue and orange plumage makes them one of the most vivid and beautiful sights on the waterways. 2. Grass snakes The grass snake was once known as the water snake, largely due to its love of water. It s the UK s largest reptile, growing over one metre (39 in) in length. 4 5 3. Hares Unlike rabbits, hares live in nests above ground and they are generally larger than rabbits with longer ears. If you re lucky, you might spot them boxing in springtime. 4. Otters Many waterway enthusiasts dream of spotting an otter. Their long bodies, strong tails and webbed feet help them swim quickly. Will you be lucky and spot one? 5. Water voles Water voles have dark brown fur, a round body and a hairy tail. The water vole s short fat face, small ears and fur-covered tail set it apart from the common rat. 6 7
In the water... 1 4 2 5 3 6 1. Canada geese Canada geese are a familiar sight along our waterways. They have a black head, with white cheeks, and a pale breast. They can be quite aggressive, making a loud honking sound. 2. Carp Carp can grow up to 110 cm (43 in) and have broad bodies and a large, forked tail. They have a single long fin down their backs and vary in colour from olivebrown to black and even gold. 3. Coots Coots are all black with a white beak and shield at the front of their head. They are slightly larger than their close relatives, the moorhen, and are often seen at the water s edge. 4. Cormorants These large, prehistoric-looking seabirds have a long, hook-tipped bill for fishing and large webbed feet. In summer months, adult birds display white patches on their face and thighs. 5. Herons These expert fishermen are tall birds, up to a metre (39 in) in height. They have a distinctive black stripe behind the eye, while their plumage is grey with black and white markings. 6. Mandarin ducks Male mandarins are incredibly ornate and distinctive water birds, with a wonderful mix of colours. Females are a more subdued black and white. As their name suggests, they were introduced to the UK from China. 8 9
In the water... 7 10 8 11 7. Moorhens 10. Smooth newts Smooth newts are a pale brownto-olive colour and grow to around 10 cm (4 in). During the spring, males have a wavy crest running from head to tail. Newts prefer the still water of ponds and canals over running water. Moorhens appear black from a distance but are actually a bluishblack, with dark brown wings and red and yellow beaks. They are slightly smaller than their close relatives, the coot. They are common to all canals and rivers in England and Wales. 8. Perch Perch have two fins on their backs one spiny and one soft. They are greenish in hue with touches of red on their lower fins and tail. 9. Pond skaters Pond skaters are small insects with long legs, often seen sitting on the surface of water. They are thin and dark in colour, and are covered in hairs that help them stay afloat. 11. Brown trout Brown trout are long and thin with a straight-edged tail. They vary in colour from silvery to brown with a pale underbelly. Most have dark spots on their bodies. 12. Yellow water-lilies Yellow water-lilies thrive in still or slow-moving water. Lily-pad leaves grow up to 40 cm (16 in) across and their yellow flowers are said to smell like the dregs of wine. 9 12 10 11
Around the bank... 1 4 2 5 3 6 1. Chinese mitten crabs The Chinese mitten crab is an invasive species. Their name comes from their large hair covered claws. They can damage native canal and river environments by burrowing into banks. 2. Damselflies Unlike dragonflies, damselflies fold their wings back parallel to their bodies when at rest. They are also smaller and daintier fliers. There are around 20 species in the UK. 3. Dragonflies Dragonflies spend most of their lives as larvae, underwater. er. They have long bodies and four broad wings. They are larger than their sister damselflies and, when at rest, hold their wings at right angles to their bodies. 4. Frogs Frogs have strong back legs and webbed toes. Usual colours are green, brown and yellow, but this varies widely. Eyes and nostrils are on the top of the head, so they can see and breathe when the rest of their body is underwater. 5. Grasshoppers Grasshoppers are brown or green, with short antennae. They have long hind legs, which they use to hop and sing with by rubbing them against their wings. There are 11 species in the UK. 6. Hard rushes The grey-green, rigid stems of hard rushes have small ridges that can be felt with your fingertips. They flower from May to July in loose clusters with a small fruit in the centre. In times past, stems were used for weaving. 12 13
Around the bank... 7 10 8 11 9 12 7. Marsh marigolds The marsh marigold s flower is golden-yellow in colour with five petals and many yellow stamens. Its dark green leaves are small when flowers are in abundance, but grow larger, to 10 cm (4 in) across, when flowers fade. 8. Sedges There are lots of different species of sedge and many can be found along the canals and rivers. Characteristic features include triangular leaves in cross section or W patterns sedges have edges. 9. Shrews Shrews look very much like mice with longer noses. Surprisingly, they are not rodents but members of the mole family. They are very small, between 5 8 cm (2 3 in), dark brown in colour with a pale underside. 10. Toads Toads have broad heads, wide mouths and short hind legs. They are olive-brown with wartlike bumps on their backs. They hibernate during winter, can live for up to 40 years and grow to around 13 cm (6 in). 11. Water dropworts The water dropworts are a group of plants that thrive in damp ground, marshes or in shallow, fresh water. Several of the species, including hemlock, are extremely poisonous. 12. Yellow flag irises The yellow flag iris is one of only two native irises. It has long, sword-shaped leaves often arranged in a fan shape. Large yellow flowers are visible from May to July. Its sweet smell attracts bees and hoverflies. 14 15
In the hedgerow... 1 4 2 5 3 6 1. Badgers Badgers have silvery-grey backs and black and white stripes running from nose to shoulders. Adults are up to 80 cm (31 in) and are usually seen after dark. They like to burrow into the soft banks that waterways provide. 2. Beetles There are some 4,000 species of beetle in the UK alone. Most beetles use their hind wings for flying, which are covered by a hard wing case, and most develop into their adult form from larvae. 3. Bumblebees Generally striped yellow and black, bumblebees can also have splashes of red or white, and some rare species are all brown or black. Bumblebees are bigger and fatter than wasps or honeybees. 4. Dog roses Dog roses can be found scrambling through hedgerows. The flowers are made up of five pale pink petals. The plant was named dog as it was believed that the root was effective against the bite of a mad dog. 5. Dormice Dormice are small rodents, around 6 9 cm (2 4 in), of which Britain has one native species, the hazel dormouse. Dormice have golden-brown fur, large black eyes and a long tail. They hibernate from October to April. 6. Elder bushes Elder is a common tree of the hedgerow and can be easily distinguished by its large umbrella-shaped flower head, made up of hundreds of small white flowers. These become dark purple berries in autumn. 16 17
In the hedgerow... 7 10 8 11 9 12 7. Foxes Foxes are one of the UK s most recognised mammals. They are a rusty-red colour with a white throat and bushy tail. Foxes are often seen in towns and cities and can become used to human activity. 8. Hawthorn bushes Hawthorns are traditional hedging plants, which produce white flowers in spring and red haws, similar to berries, in autumn. These are a vital source of food for birds. 9. Hazel nuts This woodland tree s nut is a food source for mammals including our precious dormice. Hazel tree wood is traditionally used for walking sticks but the Canal & River Trust also use it to protect and create the soft waterway banks. 10. Hedgehogs gs Hedgehogs are Britain s only mammal to have spines and when alarmed they roll up into a tight ball. They grow to between 20 30 cm (8 12 in) big and are mostly nocturnal, feeding on insects, slugs and worms. 11. Ladybirds Ladybirds are actually tiny beetles, often no bigger than 1 cm (0.4 in) long. The most common are red with black spots, although orange and yellow ones are also seen. There are 46 species in Britain. 12. Stoats Stoats have a prominent black tip at the end of their tail. They grow up to 30 cm (12 in) long with sandy-brown fur on top and white fur underneath during summer but they may turn white in exceptionally cold winters. 18 19
In the tree tops 1 4 2 5 3 6 1. Alders Native to Britain, alders are characteristic trees of wet places, marshes and stream-sides. Catkins hang down from the branches through the summer and are gradually replaced by small brown cones in autumn. 2. Ash trees Before ash leaves open, the plant has black buds at the end of each shoot. Six to 12 pairs of oval-shaped leaves grow up the leaf stalk towards a single leaf at the tip. 3. Bats In Britain, there are 18 species of bat. The most common tend to have a small body, short legs, fairly narrow wings and a short tail. Colours vary, but ears and muzzle are usually dark in colour. 4. Black poplars Black poplars are Britain s rarest timber trees. As cultivated trees pollinate them, truly wild specimens are rarely seen. Their triangular leaves are pale green when young, darkening as they mature. 5. Crab apples As crab apple trees are a frequent sight along the waterways, it is thought that boaters planted some so they had fruit as they travelled the country. They are small and aren t known for their flavour, although birds love them. 6. Crack willows Crack willows are aptly named, not only due to the twigs making a cracking noise when broken but also because old trees often have a large crack in their trunk. They can be a haven for bats, which roost in the cracks. 20 21
In the tree tops... 7 8 10 11 7. Field maples 10. Owls Unlike all other maple trees, field maples leaves do not turn orange or red in autumn. They remain dark and shiny with five neat lobes. The sap in all maples can be used to make maple syrup! In the UK, there are five species of these beautiful, nocturnal birds of prey. They have an upright stance, a large, broad head, great vision and hearing, and feathers adapted for silent flight. 8. Great spotted woodpeckers 11. Silver birches These striking black and white birds have a distinctive bouncing flight. Males and young birds have small red patches. Listen out for their distinctive pecking sound especially in springtime. 9. Oak trees English oak trees can live to be hundreds of years old the oldest recorded was 1,200 years old. They produce acorns in autumn, which are enjoyed by animals such as squirrels. 9 22 Birches support a large community of insects and other invertebrates, with 334 species known to feed on them. They are recognisable by their beautiful orange colouring in autumn. 12. Sycamores These trees are part of the maple family, with five-lobed leaves on a red stem. Seeds from the tree form winged pairs. They are often referred to as helicopter seeds by children because of the way they fall. 12 23
Spot the footprint Here s a guide to help you identify the animal footprints you might see e along waterway banks and towpaths in mud and snow. Mink 4 cm (2 in) Muntjac deer 3 cm (1 in) Fox 5.2 cm (2 in) Otter 7 cm (3 in) Heron 7 cm (3 in) Roe deer 7 cm (3 in) Dog 10 cm (4 in) Water vole 3.4 cm (1 in) Duck 7.6 cm (3 in) Domestic cat 2.7 cm (1 in) Badger 5 cm (2 in) Rat 4.5 cm (2 in) Swan 10 cm (4 in) Squirrel 1.2 cm (0.5 in) 24 Measurements shown are approximate. 25
Nature Watch Notes Nature Notes 26 Nature Watch Notes Nature Notes 27
Nature Watch Notes Nature Notes 28 Nature Watch Notes Nature Notes 29
Top Tips for feeding ducks Did you know that white bread is not good for little duck s tummies? Here are the top six foods we recommend you feed the ducks when you are out by the waterside instead. Corn Tinned, frozen or fresh. Lettuce Rocket, Kale and Iceberg are all great choices. Frozen peas No need to cook, but definitely defrost first. Oats Rolled or instant are the best. Seeds Bird seeds are great for this. Rice Cooked or uncooked, both are fine. Finished nature spotting, what next? Stay in touch with us by signing up to our regular email newsletter. We will share new waterway stories, places to explore, news and views, events to visit and new waterside activities to try. Look forward to having you on-board! See you next time, Canal & River Trust T 0303 040 4040 W canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us Follow us on @canalrivertrust /canalrivertrust Registered Charity number 1146792. First Floor (North), Station House, 500 Elder Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 1BB. Photography credits Aston Upthorpe Jack Perks Trevor Coates Denise Cashmore Mark Pike Charlie McCartney Happy feeding! 30 31