As the weather warms up, sand lizards start to emerge from hibernation; adders begin basking on warmer ground and rocks, woodland flowers burst into life, great crested newts head for breeding sites and tadpoles begin to hatch.
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Wildlife to look out for
Many animals are coming out of hibernation. Look out for Peacock, Comma and Brimstone butterflies on sunny days, and the Long-tongued flower bee. Some birds are already breeding: noisy Rooks in their treetop colonies and coastal gannets.
© Hans Christoph Kappel
Young rabbits can be seen above ground for the first time in fields and roadside verges. It is a busy time for voles too, with families to feed: you may catch them around hedgerows or field borders. Mayfly and Stonefly can also be found around streams and rivers, as they prepare to emerge as adult insects.
Flowers
Primroses and daffodils are blooming in woodland and gardens, lesset celandine, violets, butterbur or wood anemone can also be seen.
Waders at Coasts and Estuaries
Dunlin, Knot, Oystercatchers, Turnstone and Avocet
Over the winter, waders from northern Europe gather in large colonies around the UK’s estuaries.
Tip: At low tide the tide can go out for long distances in certain places and so do the birds, therefore going out at high tide may mean a better chance of spotting birds.
East of England: Horsey, Norfolk
Wessex: Brownsea Island, Dorset
South of England: Isle of Wight (Newtown), East Head, Chichester Harbour
Northern Ireland: Portstewart Strand, Barmouth & Grangemore, Crom Estate, Fermanagh
© Peter Brash
Herons / Little Egrets
Male heron have an impressive courtship dance where they extends their necks straight upwards and then progressively bend it back until their head touches their backs, the bill remaining vertical throughout. This display normally takes place near areas of water. The Little Egret is a small pure white heron, Brownsea Island is the only National Trust property where these birds nest.
Wales: Stackpole Estate, Pembrokeshire
Thames & Solent: Morden Hall Park, Morden
East of England: Houghton Mill, Cambridgeshire
West Midlands: Berrington, Herefordshire
Song Thrushes
Song thrushes have an amazing array of songs, so when you go out in to parks, woodlands and gardens listen out for these beautiful singers.
Wales: Bethllwyd Farm (Brecon)
Devon & Cornwall: Killerton, Devon
South East: Sissinghurst, Kent
© NTPL / Stephen Robson
Rooks
Bare, greyish-white face, thinner beak and peaked head make it distinguishable from the carrion crow.
Wessex: Below Crook Peak, Somerset
Kittiwakes
These birds live strictly on the coast where they come to the UK to breed. Unlike the herring gull they are not aggressive. (breeding season Feb-Aug)
Yorkshire & NE: Northumberland Coast
Northern Ireland: Carrick-A-Rede
© National Trust
Frogspawn
Frogspawn can be found at the following places:
South East: Frensham Common, Surrey
North West: Sandscale Haws, North of Barrow, off A590 towards Roanhead. Cumbria
Wessex: Snowshill Manor Gardens, Gloucestershire. Tyntesfield, North Somerset
Look out for great crested newts too at this time of year.
Snowdrops
Snowdrops can be found at the following places:
West Midlands: Dudmaston, Shropshire
Thames & Solent: The Vyne, Hampshire
Wessex: Stourhead, Wiltshire. Kingston Lacy, Dorset
Wales: Plas-yn-Rhiw,Gwynedd. Chirk Castle, Wrexham
Yorkshire: Fountains Abbey
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