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Five top tips for urban wildlife spotting Five top tips for urban wildlife spotting
(2 months later)
I used to be prejudiced against the I used to be prejudiced against the wildlife-poor city. But of course I have now discovered that urban areas are far richer than I had imagined. I've stumbled upon lovely butterflies in cemeteries and unremarkable patches of waste ground. Wildlife living in the cracks – not just urban foxes but the red kites in Reading or the otters of Thetford or the badgers of Brighton – is always intriguing. Discovering animals thriving in unexpected places can be more thrilling than finding them in a pristine nature reserve.
wildlife-poor city. But of course I have now discovered that urban areas are
far richer than I had imagined. I've stumbled upon lovely butterflies in
cemeteries and unremarkable patches of waste ground. Wildlife living
in the cracks – not just urban foxes but the red kites in Reading
or the otters of Thetford or the badgers of Brighton – is always
intriguing. Discovering animals thriving in unexpected places can be
more thrilling than finding them in a pristine nature reserve.
1. Find a cemetery1. Find a cemetery
Day and night, city Day and night, city cemeteries are alive with wildlife. Badgers roam through Greenbank cemetery in Bristol, and Abney Park Cemetery in North London is a haven for sparrowhawks, great spotted woodpeckers and blackcaps. Overgrown cemeteries are excellent for butterflies, moths, and beetles too.
cemeteries are alive with wildlife. Badgers roam through Greenbank 2. Embrace the night
cemetery in Bristol, and Abney Park Cemetery in North London is a Cities never sleep and nor do their non-human residents; as well as the ubiquitous urban fox, you can hunt for badgers, bats and birds like tawny owls in cities at night.
haven for sparrowhawks, great spotted woodpeckers and blackcaps. 3. Seek out watery places
Overgrown cemeteries are excellent for butterflies, moths, and beetles It's not just herons, fish and exotic vagrants such as Aesculapian snakes (currently living on the banks of the Regent's Canal, London) which crop up in urban canals and park lakes – bats usually feed over the water as well. Local bat groups affiliated to the Bat Conservation Trust run bat walks and the WWT London Wetland Centre is holding bat walks in August this year.
too. 4. Look up
2. Embrace Whole ecosystems live in city trees. In late June and July, white-letter hairstreak butterflies can be seen flying above English elms in Brighton and wych elms and other hybrid elms even in central London. Oak trees are often home to the purple hairstreak. These days, dozens of cathedrals have nest-boxes for peregrines and as The Urban Birder points out, there are many more birds of prey in our cities.
the night
Cities never sleep and nor do their non-human residents; as well as the ubiquitous urban fox, you can hunt for badgers, bats
and birds like tawny owls in cities at night.
3. Seek
out watery places
It's not just herons, fish and exotic vagrants
such as Aesculapian snakes (currently living on the banks of the
Regent's Canal, London) which crop up in urban canals and park lakes – bats usually feed over the water as well. Local bat groups
affiliated to the Bat Conservation Trust run bat walks and the
WWT London Wetland Centre is holding bat walks in August this year.
4. Look
up
Whole
ecosystems live in city trees. In late June and July, white-letter
hairstreak butterflies can be seen flying above English elms in
Brighton and wych elms and other hybrid elms even in central London.
Oak trees are often home to the purple hairstreak. These days, dozens
of cathedrals have nest-boxes for peregrines and as The Urban Birder
points out, there are many more birds of prey in our cities.
5. Think small5. Think small
Even the tiniest city garden can be a Even the tiniest city garden can be a haven for insects and other invertebrates. If you have an urban garden, the best way to boost biodiversity is to create a small pond. Toads, newts and even dragonflies will quickly find it.
haven for insects and other invertebrates. If you have an urban What wildlife have you managed to see in your neighbourhood? What are your favourite city-spots for wildlife watching?
garden, the best way to boost biodiversity is to create a small pond. Patrick Barkham is a natural history writer for the Guardian and the author of The Butterfly Isles - A Summer in Search of Our Emperors and Admirals and Badgerlands, published by Granta on 3 October 2013. Follow him on Twitter @patrick_barkham.
Toads, newts and even dragonflies will quickly find it.
What wildlife have you managed to see in your neighbourhood? What are your favourite city-spots for wildlife watching?
Patrick Barkham is a natural history writer for the Guardian and the author of
The Butterfly Isles - A Summer in Search of Our Emperors and Admirals
and Badgerlands, published by Granta on 3 October 2013. Follow him on Twitter @patrick_barkham.
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is funded by Unilever; its focus is sustainable living. All content is
editorially independent except for pieces labelled advertisement
feature. Find out more here.