By Helen Bovill  

 

March was a very dry month, with only light rainfall on a few days. Some days even started off frosty, and were cold and dull. But there were some warm sunny days, with temperatures higher than average for March. By the end of the month it had started to feel like spring had arrived, especially when I heard Chiffchaffs singing high up in the trees. 

I’m pleased to report that I saw my first butterflies of the year this month. I saw the Small Tortoiseshell (above) on the 20th – a whole month later than this time last year and the year before. But the Lesser Celandines that provide such an important source of nectar for these early butterflies were late to flower in any numbers this year. Normally there would be plenty in flower from as early as mid-February but this didn’t happen until the first week of March this year. Plus the weather was colder, so the butterflies remained dormant a bit longer, waiting for sunshine, warmth and nectar. 

 

I actually saw 6 different species of butterfly this month, my first sightings of Comma, Brimstone and Peacock being on 6 March. These, plus the Small Tortoiseshell, all spend winter as adults, not technically hibernating but in a dormant state somewhere cool and dry. Ivy-clad trees make idea places to overwinter and butterflies with their wings closed are well disguised amongst the leaves. There are several such trees in the cemetery, and their presence, coupled with the wildflower rich south facing verge on Spring Bank West that forms the northern boundary of the cemetery, makes it possible to see butterflies as early as late winter (usually mid to late February) some years. 

 

I was surprised to see a 5th species – a Large White – later in the month. These spend winter as pupae, and this newly emerged female certainly looks very bright and fresh. Then on the last day of the month I saw a 6th species, although I couldn’t tell if it was a Small White or a Green-Veined White. 

I saw plenty of queen bumblebees buzzing around close to the ground, looking for a suitable place for a nest. They never stay still long enough for a photo though! I did see some Western Honey bees, drone flies and other hoverflies. These are often difficult to identify, especially if they have their wings closed. 

 

Ladybirds are now starting to emerge, and I saw various types including Harlequin, our native Seven-spot and a tiny Orange Ladybird – another one of our native British species. 

Then towards the end of the month I saw my first Bee-flies of the year, on the verge alongside the cemetery. The only ones I’ve seen here are the Dark-banded ones. 

The abundance of flowers I predicted at the end of my previous report proved correct, and there are now hundreds of glossy bright yellow Lesser Celandines on the cemetery verge, and hundreds more growing inside the cemetery. A great source of food for the insect branch of the cemetery wildlife. 

 

Yellow is the current theme along the verge, with Dandelions now in flower amongst the Celandines. I also found some Cowslips and Yellow Archangel. There are other coloured flowers too, though only in small numbers. I found Wood Anemones, Periwinkles and Sweet Violets. The wild species of Violets can be quite difficult to identify, and looking back on my reports of a couple of years ago I seem to have mis-identified them as Common Dog Violets. I only realised my error when I was taking this photo and smelt them for the first time. Sweet Violets are the only ones with a fragrance, albeit a very subtle one. 

I heard my first Chiffchaffs of the year in the last week of the month. They seem to favour the highest trees in the cemetery and I didn’t manage to get a decent photo of them this time. 

I kept hearing what I thought was the loud drumming of a Woodpecker, although I couldn’t see one anywhere. However I saw a Carrion Crow in a nearby tree and I realised that’s where the noise was coming from. They’re well known for their ability to mimic other species and sounds, but it appears this is one of their natural calls. 

 

I noticed lots of the smaller birds such as Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robins and Blackbirds had started to pair up and gather nest material. I didn’t see quite so many as usual, but this could be because some are now in the nest boxes or in the lower, dense vegetation, out of sight on their nests. 

 

I noticed Dunnocks in a few places in the cemetery this month, although they’re hard to spot, blending in so well with their surroundings. 

With thousands of wildflowers now in bloom and the days getting longer, this is a great time to visit the cemetery. The warm dry weather of the last two weeks has meant that all the footpaths are easy to walk on with no muddy puddles to avoid. I keep topping up the shallow bird bath in the Quaker Burial Ground so that at least some of the cemetery wildlife has somewhere to drink, as there is no natural source of water in the cemetery. On the last day of the month I noticed some buds on a couple of Bluebells, so there are lots of beautiful wildflowers to look forward to seeing in this beautiful cemetery next month!