This month is all about change. As the weather warms, the days grow longer, new shoots appear and birds are pairing up.
If you wait until spring has sprung to get outside and connect with nature, you’ll miss out on some incredible wildlife encounters. From bustling Blue-tits to Snowdrops peeking up from the soil, there are signs of spring all around us.
The early bird may get the worm, but they also get the best places to nest. As days are starting to lengthen and we creep towards spring, Blue-tits are scouring gardens and parks for suitable places to bring up their brood. If you’re popping up a new nest box this season, you’re bound to see a Blue-tit investigating.
So, while the Blue-tits are looking for their future nest sites, the Long-tailed Tits are the self-builders of the bird world. They’d be the stars of Grand Designs with their showpiece nests which they craft themselves. Their cocoon-like nests are truly magnificent and take months to build, so they kick off in February sourcing a suitable bush or fork of a tree and then begin collecting moss. The outside is camouflaged using spiderwebs while inside up to a thousand feathers are used to create the kind of luxury Woodpigeons can only dream of.
Other species may not be quite ready to begin nest building, but they can be heard singing loud with mating on their mind; it is almost the season of love after all! One of my personal favourite sounds of mid-winter is the wistful song of the Mistle Thrush piercing through the winter gloom, lifting the soul. They are harder to spot at this time of year but if you look up high you might see a male singing loudly. Their tune is a bit more melancholic than a Blackbirds’ and more shouty.
One of the most beautiful and welcome sights is of course Snowdrops, popping up through the soil as they signify that the warmer months are upon us. Despite the cold, they can be found thriving in pastures, woods, gardens, and parks from January to early March. Their white petals and green leaves really do brighten the winter months.
I’ll be making the most of the winter and getting out to my local RSPB reserves for walks with the family, and keeping an eye out for the wonderful wildlife that can be spotted.
Find your nearest reserve here: Visit a nature reserve (rspb.org.uk)