Country Life's 10 best nature stories of 2021
We look back at our most popular nature stories of the last 12 months.

The 10 spiders you’ll find in the houses and gardens of Britain
Creepy. But cool.
The true meaning of Dumbledore, Chiggypig, Hornywink and Lang lugs, and the other old English animal names all but lost to us
If you think Dumbledore is just a fictional Wizard, then this article from the summer is for you.
Curious Questions: Are cows actually super-intelligent?
Cows possess secrets of which we poor Sapiens are unaware,' writes John Lewis-Stempel. 'Except that, after 20 years of cow-keeping, a few mysteries of the bovine brain have been unveiled to me. And I have moos for you.'
Curious Questions: How do starlings murmurate?
As the light dims on an autumnal or winter’s evening, starlings will rise from their communal roosting site and wheel and swoop as if one body,' writes Martin Fone, in this mesmerising article. It's as if they are 'under the command of a great choreographer in the sky.'
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13 truly staggering images from Close-up Photographer of the Year 2021
An astonishing image of butterflies underwater, other-worldly images of funghi and a candid snap of a cheeky rodent were among the winners and runners-up for the 2021 Close-up Photographer of the Year awards.
The terrible truth about the cuckoo, and the ‘monstrous outrages’ it perpetrates on its foster parents and siblings
This was first published in 2020, but has proven enduringly popular — and it's not hard to see why. This piece was eye-opening and grim, but utterly gripping from start to finish.
10 majestic pictures of the beautiful nature of Britain, in honour of World Wildlife Day
In this article from World Wildlife Day on March 3rd, we looked at a series of simply stunning photographs that will leave you in awe of our natural world.
The 10 things you can do to help save hedgehogs
From creating a wild corner in gardens to safeguarding ponds, Hedgehog Street shared their top 10 tips with us in this post on how we can look after these prickly creatures — and it’s still as relevant now as ever.
The 8 best birdsongs you’ll hear in Britain
Back in February we challenged David Tomlinson to pick his ‘Desert Island Discs’ of birdsong, and it’s in every way as peaceful and soothing as you’d expect.
Curious Questions: Why does the air smell so good after it’s been raining?
That wonderful scent in the air when the rain stops falling has entranced people since the dawn of time — but what causes it? Martin Fone investigates.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Credit: OPOTY/Anya Burnell
Eight breathtaking photographs from the Outdoor Photographer of the Year award
12 breathtaking images to inspire you to enter the International Garden Photographer of the Year
The fascinating — and slightly creepy — winners of the first-ever Bug Photographer of the Year awards
James Fisher celebrates some of the finest images hailed by judges at the Luminar Bug Photography Awards.
Toby Keel is Country Life's Digital Director, and has been running the website and social media channels since 2016. A former sports journalist, he writes about property, cars, lifestyle, travel, nature.
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'There are architects and architects, but only one ARCHITECT': Sir Edwin Lutyens and the wartime Chancellor who helped launch his stellar career
Clive Aslet explores the relationship between Sir Edwin Lutyens and perhaps his most important private client, the politician and financier Reginald McKenna.
By Clive Aslet Published
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If heaven is on earth, it might be in this home with a converted chapel that is now a swimming pool
5 Wood Barton Town House is part of an exclusive 80-acre development in Devon that also comes with fishing rights on the River Avon and four bedrooms.
By James Fisher Published
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Food with a pinch of salt: The crops we can harvest from the sea
Filling, rewarding and nutritious, vegetables and plants grown in saline environments — whether by accident or design — have plenty of potential. Illustration by Alan Baker.
By Deborah Nicholls-Lee Last updated
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White-tailed eagles could soon soar free in southern England
Natural England is considering licensing the release of the raptors in Exmoor National Park — and the threat to pets and livestock is considered to be low.
By Jack Watkins Published
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Britain's whale boom and and the predator that's far scarier than a great white shark, with wildlife cinematographer Dan Abbott
The wildlife cinematographer Dan Abbott joins us on the Country Life Podcast.
By Toby Keel Published
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'They are inclined to bite and spray acid to protect territory': Meet the feisty red wood ant
By Ian Morton Published
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The King wants YOU: His Majesty's call-to-arms for under-35s across Britain
The King’s Foundation has launched its ‘35 under 35’ initiative — a UK-wide search for ‘the next generation of exceptional makers and changemakers’ who want to work holistically with Nature.
By Amie Elizabeth White Published
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'A big opportunity for a small, crowded and beautiful country': Fiona Reynolds on how the Land Use Framework can make Britain better
The Government’s Land Use Framework should be viewed as an opportunity to be smarter with our land, but conflicts need to be resolved along the way says Fiona Reynolds, chair of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission.
By Fiona Reynolds Published
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Dawn Chorus: A river comes to life, more mews is good mews, and the new 400-mile electric Volvo
Rivers now have the legal right to flow, and to not be full of pollution. It's about time.
By James Fisher Published
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Dawn Chorus: The perfect job for incurable romantics, Britain's rudest roads, woodland workshops and spring in Cornwall
Living on a near-deserted island, and getting paid for the privilege? No wonder tens of thousands of people were keen.
By Toby Keel Published