Field Notes
No. 03
No. 03
Common smooth newt
12th August 2026
Look who's arrived in our pond!
At a glance
SpeciesCommon Smooth Newt
Latin nameLissotriton vulgaris
FamilySalamandridae
Size7–11cm
HabitatGarden ponds, grassland and woodland; UK's most common newt species
Key facts
- Breeds in water in spring and summer, then spends the rest of the year on land, hibernating over winter
- Spotty throat distinguishes it from the similar Palmate Newt, which has an unspotted throat
- Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
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A seasonal tide
Field Notes
No. 08
Moon jelly
29th June 2026
At a glance
SpeciesMoon Jellyfish
Latin nameAurelia aurita
FamilyUlmaridae
SizeDiameter 5–40cm
HabitatCoastal waters worldwide; the most common jellyfish in UK seas
Key facts
* Recognisable by four horseshoe-shaped gonads visible through the translucent bell
* Its sting is too weak to
Berry walk
Field Notes
No. 07
Hawthorn, Dog rose, Elderberry, Bryony, Hops
26th August 2026
The end of summer is showing Nature's full abundance just in our local walk this morning.
There are so many berries around that I wonder whether walkers are leaving them for the wild creatures who
Side eye at Sheringham
Field Notes
No. 07
Lesser Black-Backed Gull
23rd August 2026
At a glance
SpeciesLesser Black-Backed Gull
Latin nameLarus fuscus
FamilyLaridae
Size52–64cm, wingspan 135–150cm
HabitatCoasts, estuaries, farmland, increasingly urban rooftops
Key facts
* Dark grey to black back distinguishes it from the paler Herring Gull
* Yellow legs are
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