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To aid users of mobile devices as well as those with a mouse or laptop finger pad this site uses a simple image-based menu system. Virtually every picture you see (images and photos) are links to more information arranged in a sort of top-down structure. See an image, click or tap on it to open a new page.

Click/tap your selection to move to the next level down:

Species Index

An alphabetical index of all the species featured in the Nature of Dorset:

  • Access basic information about any species that interests you
  • See photographs of the species (where available) to help with identification
  • See a distribution map, time charts, and much more

 

Hierarchy

A top down approach to tracing groups of species or a particular species:

  • Start by selecting from one of six types of animal or plant
  • The select from categories within that section
  • Continue to family level and to species level if required

 

Identification

Help with identification of some species types using 'filters' to narrow your options:

  • Use size, colour, habitat, time of year, etc to identify a bird
  • Use colour, habitat, time of year, flower type, etc to identify a wild flower
  • Use flower, leaf, fruit, bark, etc to identify trees or shrubs

 

In my travels around the nature reserves of Dorset I have tried to record the animals and plants I have seen and to take a photograph where I can. This has presented a few challenges with identification and, given I am not really a photographer, some of my photos are quite poor. However, I have put all this accumulated data and related images together into a database of over 1,500 species.

This section is intended to help people who have seen an animal or plant and want to identifying it. For those with a particular interest my offerings here may help them pursue that interest and perhaps help them find a species they particularly want to see; most often this will be people planning to visit the county. In putting this together I have tried to make it as non-technical as I can so that anyone can use it but I expect some specialists will cringe at what I have done! This is not a scientific work, this is to help beginners and casual observers answer questions they may have.

 

If you are interested in a particular group of species, waders, for example or orchids or dragonflies and so on, you may fine the book feature useful. Click the pic to access the books index.

Not sure what to do? Click the 'information' logo for an explanation about this page and where it can lead you.