I thought I would introduce a new monthly post to Enviroline Blog. I love nature and wildlife, though I tend to focus on sustainability. This way, I can ensure that I write something to do with nature each month. I loved taking part in the bird watch for RSPB back in January and I’m currently studying Behavioural Ecology which is SO interesting. Watching wildlife and spending time in nature can be so beneficial for your mental health. Without further ado, here is my list of March wildlife to spot in the UK.
(Feature photo by Marina Lakotka on Unsplash)
Garden birds
Dunnock (Prunella modularis)
A Dunnock is a small bird with a grey head and underparts, while the wings have brownish streakings. Their beak is short, thin and black in colour. They look a bit like a House Sparrow and I will admit, I often get those two the wrong way round! It’s definitely easy to get them confused as House Sparrows nest all year round. Dunnocks are often found on their own, foraging for insects, worms and spiders on the ground, though they also like seeds. They like vegetated areas with brambles, scrub and hedges, and are often found in parks and gardens. This was one of the birds I counted in the garden watch, as they can be seen all year round.
Related post: 10 ways to attract garden wildlife
Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita)
Chiffchaffs are small yellowy-brown birds from the Warbler family with round heads and short wingtips. They are very similar to the Willow Warbler, but the Chiffchaff have a distinctive song. A young Chiffchaff is much more yellower than an adult. They love to pick at insects and spiders and wander through the foliage. You can find them in gardens, parks and woodlands. Chiffchaffs are around all year but are mostly seen in late March to early September.
Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)
A garden Song Thrush has brown wings and a creamy yellow underpart with distinctive spots. They hop around, interrupted with short runs, looking for food on the ground. Song Thrushes particularly like to eat snails which they break by smashing them against a rock. As well as snails, they like to eat worms and fruit. Their song consists of repeating phrases, which distinguishes them from Blackbirds. A Song Thrush loves to be in trees, bushes, hedgerows and gardens.
Other garden birds found in March:
- Blackbird
- Wheatear
- Robin
- Blue Tit
- Great Tit
- Long-Tailed Tit
- Wren
- etc.
Butterflies
Although it’s very early for butterflies to be out, you might be able to spot some in March.
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni)
The Brimstone butterfly is often one of the earliest butterflies seen in the spring. Males are bright yellowish-green in colour and females are white-green. Brimstone butterflies aren’t that much bigger than a Cabbage White, which is sometimes known as the Small White.
Red admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
Red Admiral butterflies are seen all year round and are one of the first to be seen flying in early spring. They are quite easy to identify due to their striking pattern.
Continue reading: March wildlife to spot in the UK
Painted lady (Vanessa cardui)
Painted Lady adult butterflies can be seen from late March until early October. They migrate from Northern Africa and Arabia but come back to the UK and Ireland to mate and produce their offspring.
Other butterflies found in March:
- Comma
- Peacock
- Orange-tip
- Small Tortoiseshell
Flowers
Another category of March wildlife is flowers! Spring is a vital time for pollinators so we will start to see pollinating flowers. Already in February, I have seen some daffodils flower, but I can’t wait for them to come out even more.
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
Primrose is a gorgeous light yellow perennial flower that is a sign that spring has arrived! They are one of the first flowers to bloom in woodland areas. They are common all across the UK and Ireland, just head to your local woodland and I’m sure you’ll find some.
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)
The Hyacinth is another perennial flower that blooms in March. They are such beautiful flowers, mainly pink, purple, red and white. Although, they are poisonous so keep them away from your pets and wash your hands after touching them.
Daffodil (Narcissus)
There is a wide range of varieties of the Daffodil, but the one that is seen the earliest is Narcissus. It is also a perennial flower.
I hope you enjoyed reading this different style of post. I didn’t include every single category or species of March wildlife, otherwise, we’d be here forever!
What March wildlife are you looking forward to seeing?
Best wishes, Cx
Thanks for sharing this. It’s interesting to see the differences in wildlife from other countries. I remember the red admirals from growing up in England. We don’t see them here in Canada.
We’ll be well into April before we see daffodils. If the snow melts, we might see snowdrops and crocuses by the end of March.
P.S. Not sure if you changed your settings but I can’t comment on your posts in the WordPress reader any more.
Thank you! Wow, really? We’ve had daffodils for almost a month now and my garden is covered in crocuses.
Thank you for letting me know, don’t think I’ve changed anything. I’ll look into it 🙂
I love taking in nature and appreciate its beauty so thanks for sharing this.
Me too 🙂
Beautiful pictures!! Thanks so much for sharing!
~Elizabeth
thank you for reading 🙂
I had to show this to my husband since he loves birds so much! We both fell in love with the Dunnock. It’s so cute! I live on an Island (currently listening to so many birds chirping on the trees in my backyard) so I love this kind of post!
Awww, that’s amazing! x
It’s great to take the time to witness the wildlife. There’s so much beauty in nature! I can’t wait for warmer weather to spend more time outdoors. Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing, I’m looking forward to more posts like this! 🙂
I agree, thank you! x
This was a really interesting blog post. I didn’t know about some of these species. I have seen the red butterfly but didn’t know it’s official name. I am looking forward to seeing more birds, butterflies and bees! Thank you for sharing Caroline.
Lauren – bournemouthgirl
Thank you! x
This is such a fun post idea! My grandma absolutely loves birds so I’ll forward her this post 🙂 x
mia // https://miasdiyprojects.com/
Aw, thank you xx
Taking time to appreciate nature is so important! I always love seeing the song thrushes around, they’re so cute, and daffodils are definitely up there with my favourite flowers! Thanks for sharing x
Awww, me too! x
Good facts. I look forward to daffodils and snowdrops.
Thank you
I miss the nature of England so much; I cannot wait to one day be home again to see it all. Thank you for sharing this, it was a beautiful to see the photos and read about!
Aww, thank you
Taking walks outdoors and enjoying nature is something I really enjoy and appreciate. I love to see the butterflies in the Spring for sure. This is such a lovely post with wonderful pictures. Thank you for sharing 🤗
Pastor Natalie (ExamineThisMoment)
Letstakeamoment.com
Thank you xx
Awh I love this post! Can’t wait to read more of these wildlife posts from you. My garden looks out onto the back of my garden, where there’s lots of greenery so I’m always watching the birds, the squirrels and anything else that pops by!
Thank you! Awww, that’s so lovely 🙂