Wildlife calendar March

Spring officially arrives with the vernal equinox around the 21 of March, when daytime and nighttime are of equal length. New life is visible everywhere in the New Forest.

Reptiles and bats are starting to emerge from hibernation, common toads are spawning and young rabbits can be seen above ground for the first time. The first of the summer migrant birds fly in towards the end of the month. In the woodlands you might spot the returning chiff-chaff, a small green warbler with a distinctive and repetitive song. Out on the heathlands, the wheatear is one of the first visitors to come back for the spring.

The lapwing, redshank and curlew also return from their coastal wintering sites to breed. They nest on the ground and are very vulnerable to disturbance, so it is important to stay on the paths and keep your dog under close control to help protect these unusual and increasingly rare birds.

In the woodlands, leaf buds are enlarging on the trees, and on a warm day early butterflies such as brimstone and peacock are on the wing. Look down at the ground and you might see dung beetles: shiny, dark-coloured and quite large, they eat all types of dung – rabbit droppings, fox scats, cow pats and horse manure – and they are also an important food source for predators such as foxes, badgers and birds of prey. They are quite widespread and there are three types to look out for: the dor, wood dor and minotaur.

Along fast-flowing streams look out for grey wagtails busily picking out insects from between the stones. Their tales are hardly ever still and they have a yellow breast, rump and under-parts. Their grey upper bodies distinguish them from the rarer yellow wagtails.  

The furry catkins of the pussy willow (also known as sallow or goat willow) are a sure sign of spring and are most likely to be seen in damp places, where the tree thrives. The yellow blooms of early marsh marigolds stand out in the valley mires and in other boggy places. Towards the end of March, the blackthorn (sometimes called sloe) comes into flower and its branches are covered in masses of white blossom.

Resident birds are in full song, the most noticeable being blackbird, greenfinch, robin, great tit and song thrush. The woodland dawn chorus becomes louder throughout the month as more summer migrants arrive.