March wildlife sightings from a garden in Annan.

March has been a mixed month weather-wise. We have had some lovely sunny - dare I say warm - days in the first half of the month but the rain returned, along with cold winds as the month progressed. There has been a busy look about the birds, zipping backwards and forwards across the garden. Mr Blackbird has been very attentive, following Mrs B around wherever she goes.

This month's garden max for birds is as follows:-

Blackbird  - 2 male 2 female

Blue tit - 4

Buzzard - 2

Carrion crow - 2

Chaffinch - 1 male 3 female

Coal tit - 2

Collared dove - 2

Dunnock - 2

Geese - 400-500 flying over

Great tit - 2

House sparrow - 20 male 10 female

Jackdaw - 4

Pied wagtail - 2

Robin - 2

Rook - 3

Starling - 60

Woodpigeon - 4

Wren - 1

Yellowhammer - 3

We have seen our first Bumble bees this month. The Queens will be out and about looking for a new nest. They flit about very quickly and it is sometimes difficult to identify the species. We did see a Buff-tailed queen in and out of our crocus, absolutely covered in pollen!

 

 

There have been more ladybirds about this month too. Being able to get on the garden and start weeding and forking over the soil has revealed ladybirds down in the new growth.

We did try putting out the moth traps at the beginning of the month  - when it seemed to be warmer at night - but with no luck. We were perhaps being a little optimistic, but the traps were  moth balled again as the weather cooled down during the second half of the month! Listening to the wind blowing outside today doesn't encourage us to set them out again either!

DGERC species to look out for this month are the adder and the lapwing.

 

adder (vipera berus)

 

Adders are the only venomous snake in the UK. They can be seen from March to September, but early spring is the best time to look for them as they emerge from hibernation and spend time basking. The dark zig-zag pattern is an unmistakeable aid to recognition. They need undisturbed sunny glades for basking with dense cover nearby in which to shelter. Adders are still quite widespread in Scotland, with SW Scotland one of the species strongholds.

 

 

lapwing (vanellus vanellus)

 

Lapwings were once a common sight on farming land across the UK but changing agricultural practises have brought about a decline. It is suggested there has been a decline of almost 600/0 since 1995 in Scotland. Spring is the time to see their spectacular song-flights around their breeding areas, swooping, rolling and diving and giving their "pee-wit" calls.

 Remember to send any sightings to Mark Pollitt at dgerc.org.uk