Spring Wildlife at Ashridge

(Mid March – Late May)

 
This is a time of great change in the natural world. Through late March and April trees and shrubs will be bursting into leaf, transforming the countryside from brown to green in a few short weeks.

 On the ground, early wildflowers include Coltsfoot, Lesser Celandine, Wood Sorrel, Primrose, Cowslips and Violets. By late April Bluebells will be in flower. Later in spring, a wide variety of flowers can be seen on the chalk downland of the Ivinghoe and Pitstone hills.

 Butterflies to be seen at this time of year include Brimstone, Orange Tip, Comma, Small Tortoiseshell, Holly Blue and Speckled Wood. By late April, the nationally scarce Duke of Burgundy should be flying on the Ivinghoe Hills at the north end of the estate.

 Birds will be migrating north along the Chilterns. These can include locally scarce species like Wheatear and Ring Ouzel at sites like Steps Hill and Pitstone Hill.

 By late April, many of our summer visitors will have arrived and the woods will be alive with birdsong right through the month of May. Early morning is best and, if you can be in the woods by first light, the dawn chorus is a fantastic experience.

 On sunny days, look for birds of prey soaring over the woodlands. These could include Buzzard, Sparrow Hawk, Kestrel and even Red Kite.

 In April, male Fallow Deer (“Bucks”) will drop their antlers and start to grow new ones which will be fully grown by August.

 Don Otter – Area Warden.