Long-eared Owls
Long-eared owls start nesting at the end of March. Sightings of long-eared owls are rare. However, listen out for male territorial calls which are long drawn out 'hoo hoo hoo hoos' that are repeated every few seconds. Females have a soft 'shoo shoo' which fades softly. You can locate long-eared owls' favourite roosting spots by looking out for pellets, containing the fur and bones of their small mammal prey, scattered on the ground.
Brown Hares
March is the best month to look out for brown hares. Did you know that male and female hares are known as Jack and Jill? Hares 'box' each other as part of their mating ritual. A boxing bout will usually be between two Jacks fighting for a Jill or a Jill trying to put off an over-insistent Jack. Hares can run very fast. Their top speed is 35 miles per hour. This makes them the fastest land animal in the UK!
Blackthorn
The beautiful blossom of blackthorn appears in March. It has brilliant white flowers, which emerge before the leaves. The thorns of this shrub are tough enough to puncture tractor tyres!
Peacock Butterflies
Look out for peacock butterflies on sunny days during March. The adults will be emerging from hibernation to feed and lay eggs. They feed on nectar from flowers such as thistles. The peacock butterfly has reddish-brown wings, each with a single large yellow and purple eyespot at the tip. The peacock butterfly has the largest eyespot of any British butterfly. They evolved to scare predators such as birds and lizards.
Coots
Coots breed in March. They will fight for a territory with their long claws. The coot is a plump water bird. It has a black body and head and a white patch above its white bill. The saying 'as bald as a coot' refers to this frontal plate, as well as local names such as 'bald coot' and 'white-faced diver'. It dives to feed on pondweeds and invertebrates and returns to the surface rapidly due to its cork-like buoyancy. Unlike ducks, coots bring their food to the surface before eating it. This can cause food stealing.
Frog Tadpoles
Look out for tadpoles during the month of March because frogspawn will be beginning to hatch. Common frogs can lay up to 2000 eggs but only a small number of the eggs will make it to maturity. Tadpoles provide a food source for animals such as diving beetles and blackbirds. Blackbirds will visit the pond as soon as tadpoles hatch to feed on the young tadpoles.
