Wildlife watch

With the summer holidays almost here, Jenny Ackland seeks out the most colourful natural wonders.

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If you ever spot a grey dorsal fin slicing through the waves, you might think it’s waves, you might think it’s a dolphin or even a shark. However, it could be another quiet ocean visitor – the shy harbour porpoise. They’re one the shy harbour porpoise. T of the smallest members of the cetacean family (which includes whales and dolphins) and prefer a peaceful life. Despite being shy, they can sometimes be spotted close to shore in shallow waters.

There are also plenty of other amazing creatures to spot this month. The hummingbird hawk-moth is one of the most eye-catching insects. You might see it in gardens or parks, hovering like a tiny bird as it sips nectar from honeysuckle. Large white butterflies are also fluttering about. They are easy to spot with bright white wings – and the females have two black spots on the wings.