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    Spend time with Mother Nature this Mother’s Day

    Wednesday, 16 March 2022 10:03

    RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands in Cheshire is full of the joys of spring as wildlife makes the most of the change in seasons.

    Spring has sprung, and the RSPB is recommending ‘top ten signs of spring’ to enjoy this season. 

    The arrival of spring sees an incredible array of nature returning, blooming, growing and thriving outside, bringing a buzz of activity from birds and other wildlife alike. 
    As the days grow longer and the weather a little brighter, the RSPB are celebrating the change of season and urging others to join in by getting out into nature and enjoying all it has to offer.  
    Becca Smith from the RSPB said: “However you celebrate the arrival of spring, the sound of birds singing and the sight of nature coming to life after winter has a remarkable way of restoring calm. There is no better way to spend this Mother’s Day than a day out in Mother Nature, making the most of the joy that wildlife can bring us. 
     
    Right here in Cheshire, why not head to RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands to spot birds such as flocks of avocets and pink footed geese, as well as hares lolloping across nearby fields? Take one of the many trails across the nature reserve and finish up at the on-site mail-order shop and refreshments counter to treat your loved ones or yourself to a special gift or tasty treat – the perfect way to end a day in nature and a lovely experience for everyone to remember” 
    To help everyone discover the sights and sounds of Mother Nature this Mother’s Day, the RSPB is sharing their top ten signs of spring. Look and listen out for all this wildlife and more while on a relaxing walk through local greenspaces, parks, nature reserves, or gardens: 
    1. Birds building nests – most birds only spend a small part of the year making nests, so now is the time to be on the look-out. They use a huge range of materials with chaffinches opting for sticky cobwebs to make pads on the branches, forming ‘anchors’ for their nest, and long-tailed tits creating pouch-shaped homes with as many as 2,000 feathers inside as padding. Meanwhile blackbirds and house martins use mud to make their nests, and starlings love fresh cut green leaves – nothing goes to waste!  
    When admiring birds and their beautiful nests, remember to keep a respectful distance from them so as not to scare the parent birds off from raising their families.  
    2. Hedgehogs waking up – while birds are making their beds, hedgehogs are just getting out of theirs. They come out of hibernation around March/April and are on the hunt for food and water – they’ll have lost around a third of their weight during hibernation! You can help them out by putting out a clean bowl of water, a meat-based cat or dog food, or special hedgehog food.  
    3. Migratory birds returning – spring sees the return of migratory birds to the UK. Listen out for screaming swifts overhead, marvel at sand martins balancing on telephone wires, or hear the nightingales chirping call.  
    4. Bats waking up – you may start to see bats coming out to feast on insects at dusk – a single pipistrelle bat can eat 3,000 midges in one night! 
    5. Bluebells –spring is the best time of year to see bluebells burst into bloom, transforming a brown, dormant ground into a sea of blue. Look out for them in a woodland near you, including at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands right here in Cheshire 
    6. Dragonflies return - the common darter dragonfly will start to come out in force. They are regular visitors to gardens, perching on vegetation, walls, fences, and even garden canes and washing lines as they wait to leap out at their prey – which, for a common darter dragonfly, is pretty much anything they can catch. Look out for a fantastic array of dragonflies and damselflies around rivers, ponds and wetlands here in Cheshire, including at RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands this summer! 
    7. Frogspawn in ponds and toadlets emerging - If you have a pond in your garden or nearby greenspace, you may start to see tiny toadlets emerging. They love some juicy insect larvae, as well as spiders, slugs and worms, so you can create a true toad haven by making your garden as insect friendly as possible. Head to rspb.org.uk/yourdoorstep for guides to easy activities such as leaving your leaves to dissolve into the ground rather than raking them up, planting wildflowers, or building a bug hotel!  
    8. Blossoms – crab apple or cherry trees will soon be starting to burst into colour, as nature’s own bouquet comes to life. Bees love crab apple’s beautiful pink blossoms, so listen out for a buzz near you. 
    9. Grass snakes waking up - Grass snakes also start to wake up from hibernation around this time of year to look for a mate, so you might see one in your garden or the local park. The females will lay her eggs (sometimes up to 40!) in places such as compost heaps where the rotting vegetation can keep the eggs nice and warm, so be sure to check any piles in your garden before moving them. 
    10. Dawn chorus for early risers on light mornings – from March to July the birds are looking to defend their territories and attract a mate – which means an early start! The first birds start singing about an hour before sunrise, with skylarks, song thrushes, robins and blackbirds starting off the choir. The early day is perfect for birds – it’s dim enough that predators can’t see them, and the still air can carry song about 20 times as far. There’s always the RSPB birdsong radio if you can’t get enough and want to listen to birdsong throughout the day too! 

    RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands is the gateway to the RSPB Dee Estuary nature reserve.  From the comfort of the visitor centre, visitors can see nesting avocets and lapwings in the spring and huge flocks of ducks, geese and swans in winter. Water voles and badgers are resident here, whilst the summer months are alive with flickering colours from the countless dragonflies and butterflies. 

    rspb.org.uk/burtonmerewetlands  

    Location and opening times:  
    RSPB Burton Mere Wetlands, Puddington Lane, Burton, Cheshire, CH64 5SF.  The reserve is open every day except Christmas Day, 9am to dusk (up to 9pm in summer). Our visitor centre is open 9.30am-5pm (4.30pm from November to January).  
    Four miles up the road at RSPB Parkgate, the vast saltmarsh provides an internationally important home for thousands of wading birds and wildfowl. One of the biggest draws are the birds of prey and owls; hen harriers, peregrine falcons and short-eared owls are amongst the most captivating winter visitors. During exceptionally high spring tides, the saltmarsh becomes flooded and the resident harvest mice, field voles and other small mammals can be seen fleeing the rising water.

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