Springtime: The nature to look out for in Dorset this March

As the days get longer and warmer we will start to hear the poetic sound of the dawn chorus and spot delicate buds blooming.

A spokesperson from Dorset Wildlife Trust said: "Spring is a wonderful time to explore your local wild places, including Dorset Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves.

"There’s so much happening, as pollinators are drawn to early wildflowers, birds are nesting, and people have been getting in touch on social media to show us photos of frogspawn in their gardens.

"When you’re out enjoying your local nature reserves and other wild spaces, it’s really important to stick to designated paths, keep dogs on short leads, and stick to government guidelines. This way, we can protect wildlife, and also ourselves and others.

"If you’re staying at home, there’s plenty to do for wildlife in your garden too, and you can find out more about what to do on our website.”  

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Here's a selection of some of the majestic wildlife spectacles to view this month: 

Nesting

Most birds will be using March as a time to create their nests. (stock)

Spring kicks off the nesting season for most birds. But the act of building a nest is actually more remarkable than you might have previously thought. 

 Birds often spend only a few days a year building nests, and instinctively build it to a design that is unique to their species. 

Long-tailed tits create a pouch-shaped home with as many as 2,000 feathers inside as padding

Blackbirds and house martins use mud to make their nests

Starlings love fresh cut green leaves – nothing goes to waste.

If you want to witness this incredible craftsmanship first hand then think about building a nest box and see if any birds take up residence. 

The first mothers in nature

Lambing season runs between March and April (stock)

As March celebrates Mother’s Day, it also sees the arrival of some new mothers in nature. 

For most birds it’s a time when nests are first being built but there are a few early nesters who may welcome chicks in March including tawny owls and blackbirds. 

March and April are also peak lambing times in the UK with hundreds of thousands of new foals being born throughout the season. 

The breeding seasons for rabbits began in mid-February and with a 30-day gestational period the first bunnies will be appearing in March. 

All eyes on the pond

If you have a pond in your garden or pass some on your daily exercise, you may start to see frog or toad spawn appearing.

Once hatched, froglets and toadlets love some juicy insect larvae, as well as spiders, slugs and worms, so you can create a true toad haven by making your garden as insect-friendly as possible.

Smooth newts (also known as common newts) also take up breeding in ponds during the spring and spend most of the rest of the year feeding on invertebrates in woodland, hedgerows, marshes and tussocky grassland.

The end of hibernation

Hedgehogs will be out of hibernation (stock)

As birds start nesting, hedgehogs and snakes start coming out of their beds and out of hibernation. 

In March hedgehogs are often out at night hunting for food and water – they’ll have lost around a third of their weight during hibernation.

Grass snakes will start to look for a mate, so you might see one in your garden or the local park. The females will lay her eggs (sometimes up to 40) in places such as compost heaps where the rotting vegetation can keep the eggs nice and warm, so be sure to check any piles in your garden before moving them.

Pipstrelle bat will also be coming out at dusk once more. 

The buzz of spring

The Early Bumblebee will start appearing across the county this month as it is one of the first queens to emerge in the spring.

The queens have 2 yellow stripes across the body (one on the thorax and one on the abdomen) and a reddish-orange tail.  The smaller males are very ‘fluffy’ and with their long facial hair they appear more yellow than either the queen or female workers.

This is one of our most common and widespread bumblebees.  It can be found throughout the UK in woodland, gardens, brownfield and scrubby habitats with lots of brambles. 

Plants and wildlife

Snowdrops and daffodils will make way for bluebells through the spring (stock).

It's not just wildlife that comes out of its shell in March, the landscape will also start to change. 

There are woodlands big and small all over Dorset. Some are filled with the colours white and yellow during this time of year as snowdrops and daffodils are in full flower.

You will be able to see the early budding blackthorn with its now-white flowers in early spring. 

They’re best known for their rich, inky, dark fruits used to make a favourite wintry tipple – sloe gin.

The RSPB have wildlife spotting sheets on their website and an array of resources to help you see the miracles of nature from your very own garden.