1. Butterflies 

You may spot your first butterfly of the year this month! As the days get warmer, species that have over-wintered as adults will take wing. Look out for species like Red Admiral, Brimstone, Comma and Small Tortoiseshell. 

As butterflies are ectothermic, they rely on external heat sources to warmup. At this time of year, you can spot them basking in the sunshine, angling their wings toward the sun, so they can heat their flight muscles ready for take-off! In March, butterflies feed on daffodils, dandelions and primroses so keep an eye on these spring flowers for our fluttery friends.

Go butterfly spotting at one of our nature reserves. Find your local reserve here. 

2. Adders

Look out for Adders making the most of the spring sunshine in March. As temperatures rise above 10 degrees, these snakes will venture out of their hibernaculas, where they've been dormant over winter. The best time to spot them is in the morning, where they are using the sun's rays to warm up. Look out for these basking reptiles in sunny patches in woodland glades and heathlands.

Our Parc Slip Nature Reserve is a great place to spot adders. If you do visit one of our reserves in March, please be mindful of these creatures and ensure dogs are keep on short leads to reduce the risk of disturbance and snake bites. Adders rarely attack, as they tend to slither off to avoid people and dogs instead, but they will bite if trodden on, picked up or feel threatened.

3. Chiffchaffs

Listen out for the sounds of Spring! Many migrant birds return to our countryside in March, including Chiffchaffs. Keep an ear out for their uplifting 'chiff chaff chiff chaff' song! You can spot these birds singing at the top of tree canopies in woodland, scrub, parks and gardens. 

4. Common Toads

Look out for these amphibians as they travel to ponds and lakes to breed! Toads only spend time in water when they are ready to mate. They’ll migrate on mass to the bodies of water in which they were born, when temperatures reach 7–8°C, which is often in March. This journey can be treacherous, as they often have to cross man-made obstacles like roads on the way back to their ancestral breeding ponds.

Look out for toads crossing roads on mild, damp evenings and check ponds for strings of toad spawn to see if their journeys have been successful. 

5. Blackthorn Blossom

The beautiful white flowers of Blackthorn bushes provide a welcome source of nectar and pollen for bumblebees, bee-flies and butterflies in March!

These shrubs can often be found in hedgerows and the edges of woodland, so look out for these white blooms on your next springtime wander.