![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2021\/04\/Blue-tit.-Drew-Buckley-b4eba24.jpg?quality=90&crop=21px%2C0px%2C3729px%2C2484px&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Blue tits are feisty for their size \u2013 just ask any bird ringer. Like great tits, they\u2019re notorious for pecking the fingers of those attempting to ring them (a harmless process that has told us much about their fascinating life histories). Pluck is no defence against the elements, however.<\/p>\n
Britain\u2019s blue tits suffered a poor breeding season in 2021, due to a dry, then wet and chilly spring, which meant nestlings hatched before the annual explosion in caterpillar numbers. For the first time in 17 years, Springwatch had no blue tit chicks on its live cameras.<\/p>\n
The good news is that blue tit populations can recover quickly. The species has huge clutches: a dozen eggs is normal. Clutches of 16 are known, phenomenal for a bird that weighs 10\u201311g. Females lay in April or May, and it\u2019s worth watching an occupied nestbox to see how the pace of activity changes with hatching.<\/p>\n
Two signs to look for are increased visits by the male with food, and birds leaving the box carrying the chicks\u2019 neat white droppings, or faecal sacs, to deposit away from the nest.<\/p>\n
Red dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Red dead-nettle in flower. \u00a9 John Bebbington<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nWe tend to associate mimicry in the plant world with orchids, famous for copying the appearance and scent of female bees and flies to tempt the males to visit and pollinate them. Some will lure hungry insect pollinators by mimicking foul-smelling dung or corpses.<\/p>\n
The red dead- nettle has found a different way to be sneaky: its hairy, saw-edged leaves resemble those of stinging nettles. It\u2019s thought this mimicry helps deter browsing animals. The harmless dead-nettle even grows in the same places as its pain-inducing relative. Two other abundant wayside species, white dead-nettle and yellow archangel, also have lookalike leaves.<\/p>\n
Red dead-nettle can be found in flower pretty much all year in the British Isles, but is most noticeable in April and May, before it becomes hidden by taller plants. Its hooded flowers are a hit with bumblebees.<\/p>\n
Tawny mining bee (Andrena fulva<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Female tawny mining bee. \u00a9 Brian Valentine<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nProbably our most striking solitary bee \u2013 the female tawny mining-bee \u2013 is very active this month. Her furry body is a fabulous shade of foxy orange, offset by a dark face and legs. You\u2019ll see her buzzing around all kinds of flowers, including the blossom of trees<\/a> such as blackthorn, apple and cherry.<\/p>\nIn contrast, the male of the species, resembling a hairier- than-usual honeybee<\/a>, is easy to miss. Males are smaller and thinner than the females, and their hair is browner.<\/p>\nSolitary bees are only \u2018solitary\u2019 in the sense that the females raise their brood in individual nest cells rather than a colony (there is no queen or complex, caste-based social structure). They can, in fact, be quite social and congregate in favourable locations.<\/p>\n
Groups of female tawny mining-bees often gather at areas of loose soil, such as sandy lawns, which they need for their nest tunnels. Each has excavated earth heaped around its entrance, like a miniature molehill. The tawny mining-bee is commonly found in gardens and parks throughout most of southern Britain with increasing records in central Scotland.<\/p>\n
Least weasel (Mustela nivalis<\/i>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> A captive adult least weasel poking its head out of hole at the British Wildlife Centre, Surrey, UK. \u00a9 Oliver Smart<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nSpring is weasel breeding season, though the kits usually won\u2019t venture above ground before May or June. Their father left the scene long ago, so the female has her work cut out to find enough voles and mice to satisfy them.\u00a0Weasel kits are weaned at three to four weeks, and can make their own kills at eight weeks.<\/p>\n
Woodland edges, long grass and rural gardens can be good for weasels, but glimpses of these pocket predators are tantalisingly brief.<\/p>\n
Golden eagle<\/a> (Aquila chrysaetos<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Golden eagle. \u00a9 Laurie Campbell<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nFine spring days are at a premium in the Scottish Highlands and islands, but offer one of the best chances of seeing golden eagles. These magnificent raptors, with a head and nape the colour of single-malt, may be glimpsed cresting peaks and gliding along ridgelines, oozing confidence from every primary feather.<\/p>\n
As the poet Kathleen Jamie notes in her 2019 book Surfacing<\/em>, eagles have a unique presence on the wing: \u201cWhat marks them out is the way they treat the air: as a resource, a birthright, theirs in never-ending abundance.\u201d<\/p>\nBy April, mated females will be hunkered down on a pair of eggs at the eyrie, a commanding rocky ledge sometimes used by generations of eagles. But their mates will be patrolling the territory and hunting for two, so more visible than usual. If you\u2019re lucky, you might see a male \u2018sky dance\u2019. The rollercoaster series of dives and climbs is part courtship but mostly a signal to other eagles that this area is taken.<\/p>\n
Today, Scotland has about 500 breeding pairs and, were it not for persecution, could support rather more. A reintroduction project underway in Dumfries and Galloway might be the first of several that will help these phenomenal birds reclaim their former haunts.<\/p>\n
Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Cuckooflower. \u00a9 Drew Buckley<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nWith spring\u2019s return, thousands of volunteers across the UK have begun collecting data on their local wildflowers, as part of the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) run by Plantlife and several partners. This habitat-based survey involves searching for a selection of classic \u2018indicator species\u2019.<\/p>\n
In damp grassland and meadows, cuckooflower, or lady\u2019s smock, is one of the species people will be looking for. It\u2019s a beautiful, delicate plant, with pale-pink flowers on top of a spindly stem. Two common butterflies lay their eggs on it: the green-veined white and orange-tip.<\/p>\n
Early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Early bumblebee. \u00a9 Genevieve Leaper<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nThis common little bumblebee \u2013 the smallest species in the British Isles \u2013 does what it says on the tin. It not only emerges early, but also starts nesting early. At first, you see only queens, then only female workers, and finally, from mid-April, you start seeing males, too.<\/p>\n
All have distinctive orange tails, while the males also have a lemon-yellow \u2018cummerbund\u2019 across the abdomen and luxuriant yellow facial hair. In Dancing with Bees<\/em>, Brigit Strawbridge Howard observes that males are \u201csmall, rotund and kind of scruffy\u201d, compared to females, yet \u201cridiculously cute\u201d.<\/p>\n Learn more about bees:\u00a0<\/h4>\n- Bumblebee guide<\/a><\/li>\n
- Honeybee guide<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to make a bee hotel (and what to look out for if you\u2019re buying one)<\/a><\/li>\n
- Books on insects and invertebrates, including books for children<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Common bluebell<\/a> (Hyacinthoides non-scripta<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Bluebell. \u00a9 Drew Buckley<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nMany wildflowers are now blooming earlier, and the first flowering of bluebells has advanced by at least 17 days since 2001, according to data from the Nature\u2019s Calendar survey. Shimmering seas of bluebells are associated with ancient woodland, especially if the soil is damp and rich, though they also grow along hedges and even on open hillsides.<\/p>\n
One of the most spectacular displays is on the island of Skomer, off West Wales. The sweet-scented flowers are best appreciated on bright but overcast days \u2013 take care not to stray from paths and trample them.<\/p>\n Learn more about bluebells and wildflowers:\u00a0<\/h4>\n- Bluebell guide<\/a><\/li>\n
- What is an ancient woodland indicator?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Pasqueflower guide<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to identify spring hedgerow species<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
White stork (Ciconia ciconia<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> White stork in flight, in spring. \u00a9 Bob Gibson<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nSwallows and cuckoos have long been heralds of spring, but now we can cross our fingers for an eyeful of something larger: white storks cruising north over the English Channel on 2m-wide wings.<\/p>\n
The birds were reintroduced to Sussex in 2019\u20132020, and in September some migrated south to Spain and Africa for the winter. They have been tracked mingling with flocks of wild storks from other parts of Europe \u2013 good news for the project\u2019s long-term success.<\/p>\n
It is not clear when white storks died out in Britain, though Benedict Macdonald points out in Rebirding<\/em> that they fetched big money in London\u2019s game markets as late as the 16th century. After the first successful nesting of reintroduced birds at the Knepp estate in 2020, the hope today is that the new population will soar past 50 breeding pairs within a decade.<\/p>\nCritics argue that white storks are thriving in the rest of their range, and that glamorous species reintroductions detract from the true purpose of rewilding. But there\u2019s no doubt that these birds lift our morale and engage the public in conservation.<\/p>\n
The scientific name of the white stork,
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2021\/04\/Red-dead-nettle.-John-Bebbington-b48da45.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>We tend to associate mimicry in the plant world with orchids, famous for copying the appearance and scent of female bees and flies to tempt the males to visit and pollinate them. Some will lure hungry insect pollinators by mimicking foul-smelling dung or corpses.<\/p>\n
The red dead- nettle has found a different way to be sneaky: its hairy, saw-edged leaves resemble those of stinging nettles. It\u2019s thought this mimicry helps deter browsing animals. The harmless dead-nettle even grows in the same places as its pain-inducing relative. Two other abundant wayside species, white dead-nettle and yellow archangel, also have lookalike leaves.<\/p>\n
Red dead-nettle can be found in flower pretty much all year in the British Isles, but is most noticeable in April and May, before it becomes hidden by taller plants. Its hooded flowers are a hit with bumblebees.<\/p>\n
Tawny mining bee (Andrena fulva<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Female tawny mining bee. \u00a9 Brian Valentine<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nProbably our most striking solitary bee \u2013 the female tawny mining-bee \u2013 is very active this month. Her furry body is a fabulous shade of foxy orange, offset by a dark face and legs. You\u2019ll see her buzzing around all kinds of flowers, including the blossom of trees<\/a> such as blackthorn, apple and cherry.<\/p>\nIn contrast, the male of the species, resembling a hairier- than-usual honeybee<\/a>, is easy to miss. Males are smaller and thinner than the females, and their hair is browner.<\/p>\nSolitary bees are only \u2018solitary\u2019 in the sense that the females raise their brood in individual nest cells rather than a colony (there is no queen or complex, caste-based social structure). They can, in fact, be quite social and congregate in favourable locations.<\/p>\n
Groups of female tawny mining-bees often gather at areas of loose soil, such as sandy lawns, which they need for their nest tunnels. Each has excavated earth heaped around its entrance, like a miniature molehill. The tawny mining-bee is commonly found in gardens and parks throughout most of southern Britain with increasing records in central Scotland.<\/p>\n
Least weasel (Mustela nivalis<\/i>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> A captive adult least weasel poking its head out of hole at the British Wildlife Centre, Surrey, UK. \u00a9 Oliver Smart<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nSpring is weasel breeding season, though the kits usually won\u2019t venture above ground before May or June. Their father left the scene long ago, so the female has her work cut out to find enough voles and mice to satisfy them.\u00a0Weasel kits are weaned at three to four weeks, and can make their own kills at eight weeks.<\/p>\n
Woodland edges, long grass and rural gardens can be good for weasels, but glimpses of these pocket predators are tantalisingly brief.<\/p>\n
Golden eagle<\/a> (Aquila chrysaetos<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Golden eagle. \u00a9 Laurie Campbell<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nFine spring days are at a premium in the Scottish Highlands and islands, but offer one of the best chances of seeing golden eagles. These magnificent raptors, with a head and nape the colour of single-malt, may be glimpsed cresting peaks and gliding along ridgelines, oozing confidence from every primary feather.<\/p>\n
As the poet Kathleen Jamie notes in her 2019 book Surfacing<\/em>, eagles have a unique presence on the wing: \u201cWhat marks them out is the way they treat the air: as a resource, a birthright, theirs in never-ending abundance.\u201d<\/p>\nBy April, mated females will be hunkered down on a pair of eggs at the eyrie, a commanding rocky ledge sometimes used by generations of eagles. But their mates will be patrolling the territory and hunting for two, so more visible than usual. If you\u2019re lucky, you might see a male \u2018sky dance\u2019. The rollercoaster series of dives and climbs is part courtship but mostly a signal to other eagles that this area is taken.<\/p>\n
Today, Scotland has about 500 breeding pairs and, were it not for persecution, could support rather more. A reintroduction project underway in Dumfries and Galloway might be the first of several that will help these phenomenal birds reclaim their former haunts.<\/p>\n
Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Cuckooflower. \u00a9 Drew Buckley<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nWith spring\u2019s return, thousands of volunteers across the UK have begun collecting data on their local wildflowers, as part of the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) run by Plantlife and several partners. This habitat-based survey involves searching for a selection of classic \u2018indicator species\u2019.<\/p>\n
In damp grassland and meadows, cuckooflower, or lady\u2019s smock, is one of the species people will be looking for. It\u2019s a beautiful, delicate plant, with pale-pink flowers on top of a spindly stem. Two common butterflies lay their eggs on it: the green-veined white and orange-tip.<\/p>\n
Early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Early bumblebee. \u00a9 Genevieve Leaper<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nThis common little bumblebee \u2013 the smallest species in the British Isles \u2013 does what it says on the tin. It not only emerges early, but also starts nesting early. At first, you see only queens, then only female workers, and finally, from mid-April, you start seeing males, too.<\/p>\n
All have distinctive orange tails, while the males also have a lemon-yellow \u2018cummerbund\u2019 across the abdomen and luxuriant yellow facial hair. In Dancing with Bees<\/em>, Brigit Strawbridge Howard observes that males are \u201csmall, rotund and kind of scruffy\u201d, compared to females, yet \u201cridiculously cute\u201d.<\/p>\n Learn more about bees:\u00a0<\/h4>\n- Bumblebee guide<\/a><\/li>\n
- Honeybee guide<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to make a bee hotel (and what to look out for if you\u2019re buying one)<\/a><\/li>\n
- Books on insects and invertebrates, including books for children<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Common bluebell<\/a> (Hyacinthoides non-scripta<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> Bluebell. \u00a9 Drew Buckley<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nMany wildflowers are now blooming earlier, and the first flowering of bluebells has advanced by at least 17 days since 2001, according to data from the Nature\u2019s Calendar survey. Shimmering seas of bluebells are associated with ancient woodland, especially if the soil is damp and rich, though they also grow along hedges and even on open hillsides.<\/p>\n
One of the most spectacular displays is on the island of Skomer, off West Wales. The sweet-scented flowers are best appreciated on bright but overcast days \u2013 take care not to stray from paths and trample them.<\/p>\n Learn more about bluebells and wildflowers:\u00a0<\/h4>\n- Bluebell guide<\/a><\/li>\n
- What is an ancient woodland indicator?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Pasqueflower guide<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to identify spring hedgerow species<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
White stork (Ciconia ciconia<\/em>)<\/h3>\n ![\"""\"]( "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> White stork in flight, in spring. \u00a9 Bob Gibson<\/em><\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nSwallows and cuckoos have long been heralds of spring, but now we can cross our fingers for an eyeful of something larger: white storks cruising north over the English Channel on 2m-wide wings.<\/p>\n
The birds were reintroduced to Sussex in 2019\u20132020, and in September some migrated south to Spain and Africa for the winter. They have been tracked mingling with flocks of wild storks from other parts of Europe \u2013 good news for the project\u2019s long-term success.<\/p>\n
It is not clear when white storks died out in Britain, though Benedict Macdonald points out in Rebirding<\/em> that they fetched big money in London\u2019s game markets as late as the 16th century. After the first successful nesting of reintroduced birds at the Knepp estate in 2020, the hope today is that the new population will soar past 50 breeding pairs within a decade.<\/p>\nCritics argue that white storks are thriving in the rest of their range, and that glamorous species reintroductions detract from the true purpose of rewilding. But there\u2019s no doubt that these birds lift our morale and engage the public in conservation.<\/p>\n
The scientific name of the white stork,
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2021\/04\/Female-tawny-mining-bee.-Brian-Valentine-d35d063.jpg?quality=90&resize=275%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Probably our most striking solitary bee \u2013 the female tawny mining-bee \u2013 is very active this month. Her furry body is a fabulous shade of foxy orange, offset by a dark face and legs. You\u2019ll see her buzzing around all kinds of flowers, including the blossom of trees<\/a> such as blackthorn, apple and cherry.<\/p>\n In contrast, the male of the species, resembling a hairier- than-usual honeybee<\/a>, is easy to miss. Males are smaller and thinner than the females, and their hair is browner.<\/p>\n Solitary bees are only \u2018solitary\u2019 in the sense that the females raise their brood in individual nest cells rather than a colony (there is no queen or complex, caste-based social structure). They can, in fact, be quite social and congregate in favourable locations.<\/p>\n Groups of female tawny mining-bees often gather at areas of loose soil, such as sandy lawns, which they need for their nest tunnels. Each has excavated earth heaped around its entrance, like a miniature molehill. The tawny mining-bee is commonly found in gardens and parks throughout most of southern Britain with increasing records in central Scotland.<\/p>\n Spring is weasel breeding season, though the kits usually won\u2019t venture above ground before May or June. Their father left the scene long ago, so the female has her work cut out to find enough voles and mice to satisfy them.\u00a0Weasel kits are weaned at three to four weeks, and can make their own kills at eight weeks.<\/p>\n Woodland edges, long grass and rural gardens can be good for weasels, but glimpses of these pocket predators are tantalisingly brief.<\/p>\n Fine spring days are at a premium in the Scottish Highlands and islands, but offer one of the best chances of seeing golden eagles. These magnificent raptors, with a head and nape the colour of single-malt, may be glimpsed cresting peaks and gliding along ridgelines, oozing confidence from every primary feather.<\/p>\n As the poet Kathleen Jamie notes in her 2019 book Surfacing<\/em>, eagles have a unique presence on the wing: \u201cWhat marks them out is the way they treat the air: as a resource, a birthright, theirs in never-ending abundance.\u201d<\/p>\n By April, mated females will be hunkered down on a pair of eggs at the eyrie, a commanding rocky ledge sometimes used by generations of eagles. But their mates will be patrolling the territory and hunting for two, so more visible than usual. If you\u2019re lucky, you might see a male \u2018sky dance\u2019. The rollercoaster series of dives and climbs is part courtship but mostly a signal to other eagles that this area is taken.<\/p>\n Today, Scotland has about 500 breeding pairs and, were it not for persecution, could support rather more. A reintroduction project underway in Dumfries and Galloway might be the first of several that will help these phenomenal birds reclaim their former haunts.<\/p>\n With spring\u2019s return, thousands of volunteers across the UK have begun collecting data on their local wildflowers, as part of the National Plant Monitoring Scheme (NPMS) run by Plantlife and several partners. This habitat-based survey involves searching for a selection of classic \u2018indicator species\u2019.<\/p>\n In damp grassland and meadows, cuckooflower, or lady\u2019s smock, is one of the species people will be looking for. It\u2019s a beautiful, delicate plant, with pale-pink flowers on top of a spindly stem. Two common butterflies lay their eggs on it: the green-veined white and orange-tip.<\/p>\n This common little bumblebee \u2013 the smallest species in the British Isles \u2013 does what it says on the tin. It not only emerges early, but also starts nesting early. At first, you see only queens, then only female workers, and finally, from mid-April, you start seeing males, too.<\/p>\n All have distinctive orange tails, while the males also have a lemon-yellow \u2018cummerbund\u2019 across the abdomen and luxuriant yellow facial hair. In Dancing with Bees<\/em>, Brigit Strawbridge Howard observes that males are \u201csmall, rotund and kind of scruffy\u201d, compared to females, yet \u201cridiculously cute\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Many wildflowers are now blooming earlier, and the first flowering of bluebells has advanced by at least 17 days since 2001, according to data from the Nature\u2019s Calendar survey. Shimmering seas of bluebells are associated with ancient woodland, especially if the soil is damp and rich, though they also grow along hedges and even on open hillsides.<\/p>\n One of the most spectacular displays is on the island of Skomer, off West Wales. The sweet-scented flowers are best appreciated on bright but overcast days \u2013 take care not to stray from paths and trample them.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Swallows and cuckoos have long been heralds of spring, but now we can cross our fingers for an eyeful of something larger: white storks cruising north over the English Channel on 2m-wide wings.<\/p>\n The birds were reintroduced to Sussex in 2019\u20132020, and in September some migrated south to Spain and Africa for the winter. They have been tracked mingling with flocks of wild storks from other parts of Europe \u2013 good news for the project\u2019s long-term success.<\/p>\n It is not clear when white storks died out in Britain, though Benedict Macdonald points out in Rebirding<\/em> that they fetched big money in London\u2019s game markets as late as the 16th century. After the first successful nesting of reintroduced birds at the Knepp estate in 2020, the hope today is that the new population will soar past 50 breeding pairs within a decade.<\/p>\n Critics argue that white storks are thriving in the rest of their range, and that glamorous species reintroductions detract from the true purpose of rewilding. But there\u2019s no doubt that these birds lift our morale and engage the public in conservation.<\/p>\n The scientific name of the white stork, Least weasel (Mustela nivalis<\/i>)<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2021\/04\/Least-weasel.-Oliver-smart-9fe2817.jpg?quality=90&resize=275%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Golden eagle<\/a> (Aquila chrysaetos<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2020\/04\/Golden-eagle.-Laurie-Campbell-7c5e4f0.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2020\/04\/Cuckooflower.-Drew-Buckley-16add1e.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2020\/04\/Early-bumblebee.-Genevieve-Leaper-f32e509.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C402"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Learn more about bees:\u00a0<\/h4>\n
Common bluebell<\/a> (Hyacinthoides non-scripta<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2020\/04\/Bluebell.-Drew-Buckley-023ef5c.jpg?quality=90&resize=275%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Learn more about bluebells and wildflowers:\u00a0<\/h4>\n
White stork (Ciconia ciconia<\/em>)<\/h3>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2020\/04\/White-stork.-Bob-Gibson-d1a18b5.jpg?quality=90&crop=756px%2C0px%2C7974px%2C5312px&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>