Whilst there is always something of joy to be found out in nature, whatever the time of year, April is truly a month to savour as spring reaches its zenith and species we’ll be able to enjoy through the long days of summer reappear.
Although the hints of summer are welcome, with so much to enjoy in the here and now, this is not a month to idly wish away hoping for something better around the corner.
As the temperatures rise and daylight hours increase, we can expect to see wildlife wherever we are. Street trees will be laden with blossom and verdant green leaves will unfurl from branches that appeared dull and lifeless throughout the winter. In our gardens, birds will be busy seeking mates and nest sites. This offers the opportunity to delight in the ever-building chorus of bird song as males show off to potential mates and warn rivals to keep clear of their preferred patch. In the wider countryside, summer migrants such as swifts, swallows and martins may be seen soaring overhead. You might also hear your first cuckoo but, for me, the place to be at this time to appreciate nature is our woodlands.
Although the temperatures have been slowly rising for months, there is always the risk of frosts. Species such as primroses, wood anemones and bluebells, adapted to benefit from the shelter from harsh temperatures and wind chill offered by woodlands, are able to flourish before many plants have hardly woken from their winter slumber.
However, to take advantage of the benign temperatures offered by woodlands, these springtime specialists enter a race against time to ensure they emerge and flower before the tree canopy closes in. Where precious winter sunlight is easily able to warm the ground in February, tempting flowers to push towards its nourishing beams, by mid-May, dappled light gives way to deep shade as the last of the bluebells begin to fade.
Just as spring flowers are in a race against time to bloom and birds must urgently find a mate and nest to give their chicks time to grow; the swift transition from spring to summer should spur us on to take in the spectacle and sounds our wild woodlands have to offer before it disappears for another year.
Whilst some woodlands flowers might be at their peak in March, and the dawn chorus of bird song is famously fine in May – April is the perfect time to enjoy both. Few natural wonders are more glorious than an early walk in a local woodland taking in the bird song amongst a sea of woodland flowers illuminated by warming spring sunrise. I for one, can’t wait.
Stay connected
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust cares for dozens of nature reserves across the county, all free to visit, including splendid ancient woodlands where wildflowers and bird song can be enjoyed. Details of sites including Treswell Wood near Retford, Kirton Wood near Ollerton and Ploughman Wood near Lowdham to help you plan a visit this spring can be found at www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org.
Image: Blackcap, Jacqui Grafton