COUNTRYSIDE
THINGS TO SPOT:
Birds galore! This is a great time of year to see a wide variety, including ospreys and herons. Woodpeckers can be heard “drumming”, excavating holes for nests and food.
The bones of the woodpecker’s skull have spongy “shock absorbers” and a specially-adapted tongue bone that acts as a “seat belt”, holding the brain tightly in place while they drum with impressive force in bursts of up to 20 times per second.
Hares. Early spring is the best time to see hares, the fastest land mammal in the country, reaching speeds of 40 miles per hour at full pelt. At this time of year the males can be seen boxing and competing for females.
Wild garlic. Smell it before you see it! Ancient woodlands are awash with the white, starry flowers which only emerge from April onwards. Millions of bulbs may exist in one wood.
Primrose – long associated with fairies and
folklore, although it’s not a member of the rose family. The Latin name means “first rose of the year”.
THINGS TO DO:
Walk past hedgerows and listen out for the different bird calls. How many do you think you can recognise?
Take your camera out with you and see how many different flowers you can spot blooming. Make sure you take photos of the leaves as well as the flowers as they’re important when trying to identify them.
Take binoculars out on a countryside walk. Birds of prey like buzzards can be spotted hovering and are a wonderful sight through a pair of binoculars.
When you’re walking past plants, make sure you look a little closer. You might spot any number of minibeasts when you look up close! Follow a bumblebee as it ambles between flowers. How many does it visit?
BLOOMING MARVELLOUS: Primroses and, above, a grey heron