Ten of my favourite spring time sights
In the midst of the Easter weekend, a time for me so intertwined with with the feelings of hope and rebirth that this fine and favourite season of mine brings, I wanted to reflect on some of my favourite sights of this time in nature which together brings one of the greatest shows on earth. There are so many stages of spring for me from the first daffodils tentatively springing up showing the longer days are coming to glorious Marsh Fritillary butterflies stars of the late spring lepidoptera circus, so some in this list are things I've seen already this season, others what is happening right now and some things I look forward to hopefully seeing in the coming weeks. Below is the list in no particular order.
Baby birds
A quintessential sprig time sight, whether it's ducklings and goslings, Great Crested Grebe humbug chicks nestled on parents backs or voracious and noisy young Starlings adorning the garden; seeing young birds brings me immense joy.
2. Cuckoos
Not much epitomises this wonderful season more for me than the consuming echoing call of the Cuckoo and exhilarating views of these enigmatic birds. The adults are with us a short while and those weeks it really feels like the year wakes up.
3. Warblers
Moving on from Cuckoos to a family featuring species who's nests they parasitize, in a similar way to Cuckoos being surrounded by warbler song in reedbeds and other habitats and getting exiting glimpses of pretty birds is a powerful sensory experience. The onomatopoeic Chiffchaffs and the tuneful Blackcaps start the marching band early in the season with migratory Sedge and Reed Warblers with their raspy tones, Whitethroat and exquisite sounding Garden Warbler coming later and the explosive call of the Cetti's Warbler a resident bird now adding to the spring time spectacle.
4. Hirundine and Swifts
Where the warblers rule the reedbeds in spring Swallow, House Martin, Sand Martin and Swift rule the skies. "One Swallow doesn't make a summer" but it lets you know spring has come. There is something of a milestone marker in seeing these species for the first time in a year and knowing hopeful times are here mixed well with wonder when considering the long and arduous journeys these precious species have made to return.
5. Seabirds coming back to nest
A personal favourite of mine with one of the groups of birds that have inspired me most, these favourite birds of mine being here makes it one of the best times of year. Locally for me early on seeing Mediterranean Gulls return to nesting grounds with their pristine jet black heads emerging and their unique wailing call with terns exciting me too are highlights. And further afield I am captivated by the likes of Guillemot, Razorbill, Puffin, Fulmar, Kittiwake and Gannet in immense bustling cliff colonies.
6. Duke of Burgundy butterflies
Butterflies generally are one of my favourite parts of spring, I can't help but be uplifted as a variety of species of these flamboyant insects take to the wing. Duke of Burgundy is one we are lucky to be able to see further afield within our home county of Hampshire and this gem of a butterfly feels a major milestone as often one of the first we go to specifically look for so you know the peak butterfly season is starting to blossom.
7. Orange Tip butterflies
Taking it back and if the season blossoms with the dukes seeing Orange Tips is where it really starts to take root. These bright species light up the world.
8. Damselflies and demoiselles
Dragonflies start coming out in spring but are quite a fixture in the summer and into the autumn too so spring for me feels like the time to focus on the smaller damselflies and demoiselles more, these glowing insects including Common and Azure and Large Red Damselflies and Beautiful and Banded Demoiselles symbolise the wonder and colour this season brings.
9. Snake's-head fritillary flowers
Seeing soggy grassland come alive with these purple and white wonders nodding from their slender stems is a sight that feels my heart with glee in the early days.
10. Cuckooflowers
A caterpillar food plant of the Orange Tip, these pretty flowers seem to emerge with confidence and soon appear in numbers, a part of the natural furniture of those days when you know the season has turned and the bright days of spring are well and truly here.
The photos in this photoset are of; a couple taken yesterday of a Mallard duckling and record shot of a Cuckoo at Cadman's Pool in the New Forest, a Sedge Warbler at Winnall Moors on Wednesday, Swallow at RSPB Bempton Cliffs last June, Mediterranean and Black-headed Gull at Hayling Island Oysterbeds this March, Duke of Burgundy at Noar Hill last year and Orange Tip at Winnall Moors in 2023, Large Red Damselfly at Lakeside Country Park in 2020, snake's-head fritillary at Lakeside recently and cuckooflower there on Monday.
