First Flowers in March 2020

March is always an erratic month with variable weather and variable wildlife appearances. March 2020 was no exception.

On 1st March the buds of Lesser Celandine were seen and went on to produce an unprecedented display along sheltered  and warm verges and banks for the rest of March and into April:

One of the first Lesser Celandine flowers to be found on the river bank.

After days of overcast weather, with rain and hail, Monday 16th was a fine day with only a faint breeze and a bright morning after an early frosty start.

Large swathes of Lesser Celandine were flowering in the sun.

Great-spotted woodpeckers were drumming loudly, nuthatches called out their spring song, great tits, robins and numerous wrens were singing whilst blue tits were busy chasing through the branches. A dunnock was seen on the low bank with blackbirds foraging nearby. House sparrows were singing together with goldfinches in a sunny thicket whilst a bullfinch could be heard calling softly. Several song thrushes were seen but only one was singing. Woodpigeons were soaking up the sun but the smaller collared doves were hidden amongst the dense Ivy. Two magpies flew across the river  and a grey heron flew low along the 'frog route' (see previous post). A few herring gulls cried out above and two crows were seen chasing a common buzzard. They gave up the chase and the buzzard landed on a distant treetop, calling. It was swiftly followed by a second buzzard (probably a pair). A Red Admiral butterfly flew over my head.

More cold and windy weather followed but chiffchaffs could be heard singing on 20th, a sunnier day.

On 22nd March, sunny but cold and windy day, Wood Anemone plants were flowering in dappled 

shade under the trees.

Wood Anemone flowering

then the first Comma butterflies were seen, two together and later that day a single Small Tortoiseshell butterfly was seen in a warm sunny patch.

Comma butterfly nectaring on 22nd March.

The 23rd March  a fine day but with a cold wind - saw large numbers of heavy, loud bumblebees ranging along the banks over the fresh growth of nettles. They were choosing Willow catkins and yellow flowers to alight on but flew off quickly. A Peacock butterfly was seen on a nettle bank.

A great-spotted woodpecker was drumming whilst chiffchaffs sang.

The following day, 24th yet more Bumblebees were seen and heard with nuthatches calling in an old oak above. 

A kingfisher flew fast and low over the river. 

On 25th a blackbird was seen and heard singing a full song (a first)

On 26th the first Brimstone butterflies were seen - a male and female ranging along the river bank.

A full survey for March 2020 was made on Friday 27th (see next blog).

Finally another first for March - on 28th the first clumps of Cuckooflower were found on the bank after a male mallard flew up from the water, calling.