Image credit: Anne Baron
Synonymous with new life, spring is a season of hope and positivity, and nothing affirms these joyous feelings more than being out in nature.
Spot fluffy, bandy-legged lambs gambolling in the fields, hear the delicate symphony of birds as they search for a mate, and feel the warmer air carrying butterflies and bees as they begin to go about their business.
We’re lucky to be in a part of the world where we can celebrate spring; spending a peaceful few hours spotting spring wildlife in the UK is a wonderful way to recharge your mind and reinvigorate your body.
Our followers on social media have shared with us some beautiful images, as part of our Spring Holiday Watch campaign in partnership with the RSPB. So, read on to discover springtime delights that await in the countryside and on the coast, or have a browse of our cottages for spring below
Browse our cottages for spring
Baby birds and the dawn chorus
Birdsong is nature’s soundtrack to spring, so it comes as no surprise that birds have made it to the top of our list of spring wildlife in the UK. Our native garden species become more active, and on spring and summer mornings we awake to a melee of delicate melodies from male songbirds looking for a mate.
Some of our most familiar feathered friends include robins, great tits, goldfinches and chaffinches. At this time of year, they are busy building nests, laying eggs, feeding their young and defending their territory! You can visit the RSPB's top birdwatching spots to see this flurry of activity, or simply peer into your own garden.
Migratory species arrive in their droves, with visitors including swallows, warblers, cuckoos, nightjars and ospreys. The unmistakable trill of the cuckoo announces its presence during its brief visit between late March and August. House martins make the epic journey from their winter base in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical Asia, returning to the same nesting site each year.
Birds to look out for in Spring
Migratory: Cuckoos, goldfinches, martins, nightingales, ospreys, redstarts, swallows, turtle doves, warblers, yellow wagtails.
Garden birds: Blackbirds, blackcaps, blue tits, chaffinches, chiffchaffs, coal tits, great tits, long-tailed tits, magpies, pigeons, robins, sparrows, wrens.
Fun facts
- In the bird world, a good song is a sign of virility – the better the bird sings, the more likely he is to find a mate.
- A blue tit weighs the same as a pound coin.
- The smallest bird in the UK is the goldcrest, which measures just 9cm!
Ducks, geese and swans in spring
Few spring baby animals are cuter than the fluffy little ducklings, goslings and cygnets we see taking their first tentative swims in our lakes, ponds and rivers. In the UK, we have a broad range of wildfowl, with mallards being the species with which we’re most familiar.
As for swans, in the UK we have three types – mute, Bewick’s and whooper – of which only mutes remain all year round. The other two breed near the Arctic in summer and head to the UK in winter.
Geese, too, leave our shores in the spring, dispersing to their various summer haunts including Greenland, Iceland and Svalbard. Look up to spot the pale bellies of Brent geese as they begin their long journey north in April, on their way back to their breeding grounds in Canada.
Fun facts
- Some ducks dive and some ducks dabble – dabblers rarely dive, and divers rarely dabble!
- Only female mallards quack.
- All mute swans in England and Wales are owned by the Queen of England.
UK mammals to spot in springtime
Towards the end of March, the vernal equinox signals days and nights of equal length, and with more daylight comes more opportunity to spot some of our iconic wild mammals in our gardens and in the countryside.
Bats emerge from hibernation, and can be seen flitting about at dusk as the evenings become warmer, bringing out the tasty insects they like to feast on. Hedgehogs, too, come out of their cosy winter hideaways, snuffling around for food at night and giving birth to their young. If you’re lucky, you might even spot badgers and their cubs, who, having been born in February, start to explore their new world.
Other mammals you may spot while out and about enjoying the warmer weather are stoats, rabbits, water voles, boxing March hares and squirrels, among many other native critters.
Fun facts
- Hedgehogs used to be called urchins, hence the name of their aquatic counterpart, the ‘sea urchin’.
- Little pipistrelle bats weigh just 5 grams but can eat around 3,000 insects per night!
- Badger setts can be over 100 years old, and are used by generations of badgers.
Spring lambs
Think spring baby animals and the first image to pop into your mind is likely to be a fresh-faced lamb, frolicking in a lush green field. A well-loved sight across the UK, lambs are born full of the joys of spring, and while they can’t be classed as ‘wildlife’ as such, they are a cheerful sight when you’re out walking in the countryside. Why not stay in one of our rural cottages and see these adorable creatures for yourself?
Fun facts
- Ewes are only in season once a year.
- Lambs are born around 145 days after the ewe falls pregnant.
Pondlife in spring
They’re not the cutest baby animals born in spring, but undeniably associated with this time of year are the glutinous bubbles of frog spawn which become a widespread sight in ponds across Britain. Upon hatching, tiny tadpoles take around 14 weeks to become frogs, sharing their habitat with toads, smooth newts, water snails, leeches, worms and, of course, fish!
On damp and mild spring evenings, common toads migrate as a large group from their hibernation site to their chosen breeding spot. After breeding, they make the return journey – sometimes up to a kilometre!
Fun facts
- Frog spawn forms clumps and toad spawn forms strings.
- Male newts perform a courtship dance, with raised crest, brighter colours and quivering tail.
- Common frogs can lighten or darken their skin to match their surroundings.
UK insects in spring
Lots of insects in the UK hibernate during the winter, and in the spring, queen bumblebees and wasps, mining bees, and a variety of butterflies (to name but a few) will venture out to find their first meal of the year.
It’s a great time of year to practise macro photography, as you’re sure to find lots of beautiful insects feasting on the nectar and pollen from the glorious spring blossoms. You may also start to spot the shiny bodies of oil beetles and bloody-nosed beetles crossing the path when you’re out on a walk.
Fun facts
- Bloody nosed beetles can secrete a blood-like liquid from their mouths so predators think they are hurt.
- Some butterflies hibernate as adults, while others overwinter as eggs, caterpillars or chrysalises.
- Green shield bugs are also known as stink bugs, because they can produce a pungent smell!
Flowers to look out for in spring
After the dull and sombre colours of winter, the bright and cheerful blossoms of spring are a welcome delight. Daffodils are one of the flowers we always associate with spring, their sunny yellow heads cheering up even the dullest of spring days.
Ancient woodlands come alive with carpets of bluebells, while buttercups bloom across lush green meadows. In the hedgerows, notice delicate sprays of cow parsley, dainty dog rose, star-like greater stitchwort and spot bright daubs of colour from foxgloves, gorse, primroses, red campion and sweet violet. Nothing compares to a springtime walk through woodland and down country lanes with the warm sun on your back, the hum of insects fresh from hibernation, and everywhere awash with flowers.
Fun facts
- A field of daffodils can continue to bloom for up to 50 years.
- Blackthorn flowers are one of the first blossoms of the year, before the plant even has leaves.
- Climate change means spring flowers are blooming earlier than usual.
Enjoy a spring getaway
Spring is a wonderful time of year to enjoy a change of scenery, so whether you’re looking for a cottage on a working farm where you can watch the spring baby animals, or searching for that perfect coastal escape, you’ll find your ideal accommodation within our collection. Browse all of our holiday cottages available in spring below.
Browse our cottages for spring