Rummaging in rock pools
Another great habitat for nature is the sea, which is home to fish and all sorts of other unexpected creatures. The best way to get up close to them is to try rock pooling.
Start investigating a rock pool by seeing what’s swimming under the surface. You might see small fish such as a goby, butterfish or blenny. At the bottom of rock pools you might see a starfish or its skinny, spiny relative, the brittle star. Sea hares (a type of sea slug) can often be found munching on seaweed and if you look carefully and you might even see a sea anemone waving its tentacles gently at you.
To get the best out of a rock pool you need to get your hands wet. Turning over seaweed or lifting up rocks can bring other creatures, such as crabs, into view. For a closer look, place a bucket in the water and see what swims in or gently push it through the water to scoop up any critters. Remember to let them go again where you found them after a short time.
As well as a bucket, a good pocket sized ID guide will come in handy and you'll need to know the tide times for the area you're going to explore, so you don't get caught out by the rising tide, so take a local tide table along with you too. Using a net isn’t recommended, as many rock pool creatures are small and delicate and being tangled in a net can cause them harm.
For more tips on rock pooling, check out our ranger Kate's rock pooling guide for families.
Top places to try rock pooling:
Join a seashore safari at Souter Lighthouse, rummage in a rock pool on the Yorkshire Coast, explore the sands and pools at Formby and peer into the underwater world on the Whitehaven Coast.