Spring Feeling
filed in Advice On Wildlife on Mar.09, 2010
The onset of Spring cannot be denied now,with the warming temperatures,lighter evenings and the morning dawns becoming earlier. Spring is almost up on us,though there may be many false dawns before the days of frost and grey fog are behind us.Over the last week at many of the places I have visited there has been a real air of Spring,with birds singing their hearts out,making the dawn corus truly deafening.The wait is on to see the first appearance of the earliest butterfly to emerge from hibernation the key physical sign that Spring is here,the key to this time of year I have used since a small boy,but it is true to say the land is warming and the animals and plants are awakening.

As a Wildlife photographer Spring is the best time for me,with nature coming into its own from months of dormant inactivity,where as each day passes changes are ever present,a truly beautiful time and one I encourage everyone to just sit somewhere and listen,watch as nature is unfolding.Molehills suddenly become more prominent revealing a unseen rush of activity below ground,birds sing to attract a mate,showing off their pristine plumage where nothing is out of place or left to chance.Lighter morning,evenings add more opportunities for things to grow,woodland floors start to gain colour,with its warm colours giving a different light then that from winter sunshine,bringing to life everything that lives.



For me there is no better time to watch and photograph wildlife from wetlands, reedbeds, swamps, lakes to rivers this time of year will provide marvellous wildlife watching opportunities where you will see different behaviours in wildlife not seen most of the year.The key time for me is when the clock goes back and we gain more light in the mornings and evenings,from this point on it only gets better,better in my eyes.In Spring when the grass is short Brown Hares can be clearly seen in open country going through their courtship rituals all in full view.To see these you must arrive early,as Brown Hares are most active at dawn and dusk,if they are about you will see groups out in the open,clearly visible,with the males chasing the female as she is coming into breeding condition,where you maybe lucky to see her ‘Boxing’ with them.So watch out for them during this time bounding,leaping around open country,farmland with their displays signaling the dawn of Spring


Spring is seen as a time of growth, renewal, of new life (both plant and animal) being born,many flowering plants bloom this time of year, in a long succession sometimes beginning even if snow is still on the ground, continuing into early summer,my favorite being the carpet of blue created in April with the Bluebell.The axis of the earth during Spring is increasing its tilt toward the sun and the length of daylight rapidly increases along with the temperatures the result being new life,growth and longer days,so my advice to everyone would be when and where possible just get out at this time of year and witness the beautiful goings on all around you from the city to the country nature is everywhere as Spring is truly the best time of year.




































































