Marley Common
Coconut-scents, purple heather and intimate woodland walks
Marley Common in August
Purple emperor
This magnificent butterfly flies high in the woodland canopy feeding on aphid honeydew and tree sap. The males can sometimes be seen at ground level where they probe for salts from road surfaces or from animal dung.
Marbled white
The striking black-and-white checks of the marbled white are unmistakeable. The adults can often be seen feeding on purple flowers, such as common knapweed and wild marjoram.
Whitethroat
They winter in Africa, leaving our shores in early October and heading as far as South Africa. Males whitethroats build nests out of twigs and roots and the females then decide which to take.
Basking lizards
The common lizard is unusual among reptiles as it incubates its eggs inside its body and 'gives birth' to live young rather than laying eggs. Watch out for one basking in the sun from April.
Wood warbler
The wood warbler is a small warbler of oak woodland. It sings from high up in the canopy, but builds its nest in low scrub, or even on the ground in hollows. Like other warblers it feasts on insects.
