Our Wild Things at Easter events are now in full swing and running across RSPB in the East reserves throughout the Easter holidays - find your nearest reserve running events here. Whether you can make it to an RSPB reserve or not, RSPB volunteer Georgia Hebdige has pulled together the top five wild things to see this spring.
Saying goodbye to the winter has brought little sorrow. The sun has pushed its way through the gloom to introduce the arrival of the most exciting time in nature’s calendar. Spring is officially here! And with it, the natural world opens its sleepy eyes to celebrate the coming of new life. If you’re wondering what wild things you can expect to see this season, here at RSPB in the East we've come up with a few different ideas, so keep your eyes peeled to spot the wonders of spring! They may even appear in your back garden.
Blue Tits
One of the most vibrant and attractive garden visitors is always a favourite to watch in spring, which marks their nest-building period. The vivid colours of the blue tit makes them hard to ignore. Spot them in woodlands, hedgerows, parks and in your gardens while they weave their way to parenthood.
Spawning Frogs
During March and April, you may notice an orchestra of ‘croaks’ and ‘ribbets’ that fill the night air. These come from the abundant frogs and toads that hop their way into spring, bringing millions of jelly-like frogspawn. Watch them grow into wriggling tadpoles that eventually sprout arms and legs. Their growing patterns are remarkable!
Boxing Hares
If you’re looking for something else that hops, the brown hare, also known as boxing hares, can be seen this March. Spot them first thing in the morning or early evening in fields of spring wheat, coastal marshes and heathlands - or book onto a trip to see them at Havergate Island. They get their name because of the female’s tendency to ‘box’ males she doesn’t have an interest in mating with!
Migrating Swallows
Our travelers are in sight from an arduous journey across Africa, where they will sing songs of relief that mark a successful journey home. Swallows will travel almost 10, 000 km during their migration, covering up to 320 km a day. Their journey takes them through Western France, over the Pyrenees, through Morocco and across the Sahara to finally settle in South Africa where they stay for the winter, until they return back to the UK in April and May.
Brilliant Bluebells
There are plenty of woodland flowers emerging in spring, but nothing quite as dramatic as the bluebells that carpet the forest floors during mid-spring. As bluebells have a limited range globally, we are so lucky to find hundreds just next door to us, so don’t miss out on taking a walk in the woods to catch a glimpse of the vibrant colours these flowers give to our woods.
Have you spotted any of these wonders this spring? Make sure to take a picture of your sightings and post them of social media with #WildThings and to find your nearest event visit www.rspb.org.uk/wildthings