"March month of many weathers wildly comes" wrote John Clare, a poet with fantastic powers of observation and great knowledge of the countryside. Often a month of bitter cold and wintery landscapes, March is also the month when many birds are actively courting and nest-building, while frogs and toads return to lakes and ponds to spawn. By contrast in Scotland and other upland areas, many creatures still have to contend with significant snowfalls. The March hare is another highlight of the month, as males congregate in arable fields and on downland to pursue females, who engage in boxing matches to fend them off or test their strength. Spring migrant birds start to arrive from Africa and southern Europe, with chiffchaffs and wheatears in the vanguard. Brimstone butterflies are the first on the wing, feeding on the nectar of spring flowers such as coltsfoot, daffodils, wood anemones and celandines, and other insects such as ladybirds and bees emerge from hibernation. Meanwhile, farmers are busy dealing with young lambs and ploughing for Spring crops as the soil temperatures rise, while skylarks start to sing and ellowhammers forage for seeds on the field margins.

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