March 2010

Click here to view the Watching Wildlife archive

This is the month of the great reawakening when winter, hopefully, at last releases its grip. This is particularly welcome this year after such a long spell of snow, ice and cold rains lashed by high winds.

Despite the often bad weather some birds start nesting and this is particularly true of blackbirds. March nests all too often come to grief, victims of bad weather or predator attack. The same is also true of early blue tit nests when the adult birds have no larvae or insects with which to feed early nestling broods. It is only when there is an abundant supply of larvae on newly expanded oak leaves, especially those of the oak leaf roller moth (green tortrix) that the parent tits can succeed in getting the youngsters to the free-flying stage.

Time now to listen in the still bare woods for the cheerful double notes of chiffchaffs, slim little olive-green warblers recently returned from wintering in the sunshine of the mediterranean or Africa. They will be seeking insects and tiny larvae in the golden expanding catkins of pussy willow (sallow) or among unfurling early leaves of woodland trees.

In recent winters, which have been mild, some chiffchaffs have spent the months here instead of flying south to avoid the cold, but not in this prolonged cold winter. However, some blackcaps have been visiting garden bird tables and feeding stations defying the severe conditions. These birds have come across the North Sea from the Continent while our summer-breeding blackcaps have, in the main, flown south to sunshine and abundant insect food. Usually in March there will also be some wheatears in coastal areas having returned from warmer winter climes. Walton Naze, Colne Point and Mersea Island are favourite places to look for the tell-tale wheatear white rump patches as they flit from post to post or the top of sea walls.

Warm days will tempt some butterflies out of hibernation and taking advantage of nectar blooms. Peacocks, commas and small tortoiseshells jostle with bees to feed on the sallow catkins or on early drifts of blackthorn blossom. There is nothing more reassuring that spring is really coming when you see a brilliant yellow male brimstone butterfly flying strongly after leaving the shelter of an evergreen bush where it has spent the winter months.

Sadly the golden blooms of marsh marigold (kingcups) are no longer commonly seen in damp places or pond fringes because of declining suitable habitat, drainage and pollution. But the cheering yellow blooms of lesser celandines and coltsfoot are still reasonably plentiful. There is plenty of frantic frog and toad mating and spawning in ponds and lakes and even in this extra cold run up to spring I have had reports of spawn sightings in garden ponds.

Moth recorders, myself included, have delayed the start of garden moth trap operations but when there are suitable mild nights there are several species on the wing, lots of them making for sallow bloom or for the nectar supplied by spring garden flowers. It’s worth a visit to local reservoirs, especially Abberton, from mid March to look for the earliest sand martins just returned from winter quarters in Africa. They like to roost by the hundred in the extensive reedbeds surrounding some reservoirs, lakes and fens.

Latest sightings

Sand martins were seen at Abberton Reservoir in second week of March and chiffchaffs were seen (and heard) at Wrabness on March 18 and in the Roman River Valley woods on March 19 and 20.

Several reports of male brimstone butterflies mid-March as well as peacock; comma and small tortoiseshells on sunny days at Colchester; West Bergholt and Copford. Members of CNHS and Essex Moth Group operating garden light traps have reported oak beauties; common quakers; small quakers; March moths; twin-spot quakers; clouded drabs; dotted borders; mottled umbers; Hebrew characters; chestnuts; dark chestnuts and brindled beauties.

March is the month to look for wheatears in coastal areas returning to UK nesting sites from wintering in Africa.

Marsh marigolds or kingcups are no longer a common sight in damp places and edges of lakes and ponds but worth looking for with their cheering golden blooms.

By mid March sand martins will be seen at local reservoirs and lakes as they return from wintering in Africa.

March brings out some freshly emerged moths. One of these is the oak beauty (male pictured).

Male brimstone butterflies will emerge from hibernation quarters in evergreen bushes in March.

Another butterfly out of hibernation is the comma. It especially likes nectaring on the snowy white blooms of blackthorn (sloe).

A true harbinger of spring is the chiffchaff. Listen in the woods for the males' cheerful double call note.

[About us] [News] [Watching Wildlife] [Watching Wildlife Archive] [Watching Wildlife Archive] [Events] [Membership] [Publications] [Recording] [Recorders List] [Contact] [Hillhouse Wood]

© 2005-2010 Colchester Natural History Society ¦ Website design by Ecotrack