What Happens in Nature in March?

There’s something magical about March in the UK. Spring is creeping in with a series of subtle whispers—buds unfurling, flowers brightening the hedgerows, and the return of wildlife that seemed to vanish during the long winter months.

Here’s a closer look at what’s happening in nature this March and how you can fully immerse yourself in the wonders of the season.

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What’s Happening in Nature This March?

Fox Cubs – New Life Underground

Somewhere, beneath a thick tangle of brambles or hidden beneath a garden shed, a vixen is curled up with her newborn cubs. Foxes mate in December and January, and by March, the tiny kits are nestled underground, completely dependent on their mother’s warmth and milk. Their father plays a vital role, bringing food back to the den as the vixen rarely leaves her young in these early weeks.

If you’re out on a quiet evening walk, you might catch a glimpse of the male fox darting through gardens or across fields, his fiery coat catching the last light of the day. It won’t be long before the cubs emerge, tentatively exploring the world for the first time.

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Owls Calling in the Dusk

There’s something hauntingly beautiful about an owl’s call at dusk. In March, tawny owls and long-eared owls become particularly vocal as they hunt for small rodents that are emerging from their winter hideaways.

If you’re near woodlands, parkland, or even a quiet country lane lined with trees, pause for a moment and listen. The hoot of a tawny owl or the eerie, cat-like call of a long-eared owl adds an almost mystical quality to the night. Use the Woodland Trust website to hear and identify owl calls.

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Newts on the Move

March’s damp evenings bring an unusual migration—newts making their way to ponds for breeding. Unlike frogs, which hibernate in water, newts spend winter tucked away on land, under logs or in compost heaps. Now, with the promise of warmer days, they emerge and begin their journey.

If you have a garden pond, keep an eye out for their slow, deliberate movements through the water. The males develop an elegant crest at this time of year, making them even more striking.

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The Return of Birdsong

The soundtrack of March is the gradual return of birdsong. Robins, blackbirds, and song thrushes are among the first to start singing again, filling gardens and woodlands with their melodies.

There’s something deeply calming about stopping to listen to birdsong—it’s a simple, grounding pleasure that reminds us to slow down and appreciate the season’s changes.

Look out for birds collecting twigs and moss as they begin nest-building in earnest. If you have a nest box in your garden, now is the time to watch for new visitors. We have already seen Blue Tits busily bringing twigs into our nesting box.

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Mad March Hares – Nature’s Wild Ballet

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to witness two brown hares boxing in an open field, you’ll know just how mesmerizing it is. These ‘Mad March Hares’ aren’t fighting for dominance—most of the time, it’s actually the females fending off overenthusiastic males!

Their frantic chases and dramatic punches are a sign that the breeding season is in full swing. If you spot a young leveret (a baby hare) alone, resist the urge to intervene. Unlike rabbits, hares don’t live in burrows, and their young are often left hidden in the grass, waiting for their mother to return.

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Moles – Nature’s Underground Engineers

You may not see them, but you’ll certainly see their handiwork! March is a busy time for moles as they expand their tunnel networks, creating fresh molehills overnight.

These tiny creatures are perfectly adapted for life underground, with spade-like paws that allow them to dig up to 20 meters of tunnels per day. Their saliva even contains a special enzyme that paralyses earthworms, enabling them to store live food for later.

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Notable UK Nature Dates in March 2025

🌿 1st March – Meteorological Spring Begins (a system used by meteorologists and climatologists to divide the year into seasons based on temperature patterns).
🦉 3rd March – World Wildlife Day
🌍 19th March – Spring Equinox (The perfect day to celebrate balance in nature!)
🌲 21st March – International Day of Forests
💧 22nd March – World Water Day
🌦️ 23rd March – World Meteorological Day

Each of these dates is an opportunity to pause and appreciate the natural world around us.

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What’s Happening in the Skies?

March isn’t just about the awakening of nature on the ground—there’s plenty happening above us, too.

🌕 Full Worm Moon (14th March): Named for the reappearance of earthworms in the soil, which, in turn, attract birds like robins and thrushes, and the zombie creating moles as mentioned above!

✨ Planet Sightings: Venus and Jupiter will shine brightly in the evening sky, while Saturn makes a subtle appearance just before dawn.

🌍 Spring Equinox (19th March): The day and night are nearly equal in length, marking the true beginning of spring. A perfect time to reflect on balance—both in nature and in our own lives.

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How You Can Help Wildlife This Spring

March is a time of renewal—not just for nature, but for us too. With the world waking up, it’s the perfect time to make small changes that benefit the wildlife around us.

Support Nesting Birds

Placing a nest box in your garden can provide a safe place for birds to raise their young. If you already have one, give it a quick clean before the breeding season begins.

Useful tips:

• Angle the box slightly down and forwards so that water will naturally fall away and keep the box dry. 
• Don’t introduce any nest material. Birds will find their own material. 
• A metal plate fixed around the entrance hole may deter woodpeckers and squirrels. 
• Spiky vegetation, such as gorse or rose clippings above and below the box will give some protection against most mammals, such as cats. 

Create a Wildlife Haven in Your Garden

🐝 Start a Wildflower Patch: Even a small area with native wildflowers can provide an essential food source for bees and butterflies.
🦔 Leave a Wild Corner: A pile of logs or a patch of long grass can offer shelter for hedgehogs and other small creatures.
🌱 Avoid Harsh Chemicals: Pesticides and herbicides can be harmful to insects and birds—natural alternatives are much kinder to wildlife.

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A Changing Climate – Signs of an Early Spring?

This year, London barely saw any snow, and instead, the season was marked by wet and mild weather. It might seem pleasant, but these changes have a ripple effect on wildlife.

Early blooming flowers might be beautiful, but they disrupt the delicate relationship between plants and pollinators. A bumblebee emerging too early may find itself with no food, and migrating birds arriving at the wrong time could struggle to find their usual food sources.

These subtle shifts are a reminder of how deeply interconnected we are with the rhythms of nature.

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Step Outside and Reconnect

March invites us to step away from our screens, take a deep breath, and observe the world as it stirs back to life. Whether it’s spotting your first butterfly, hearing an owl call in the evening, or simply feeling the warmth of the sun on your face, there’s something profoundly healing about witnessing nature’s quiet transformation.