Spring is here and there are a wealth of natural wonders to discover. Get going with these five wild tips from Tim!

1. A Nightingale sang in who knows where? 

The Nightingale was regarded as extinct in the 2020 Hertfordshire State of Nature. In 2024 however, there were a number of reports of Nightingales singing in our area so this spring why not head out and listen for our songster supreme. They generally favour dense cover so start off exploring your local countryside and scouring for scrub. Even if you don’t find a Nightingale hopefully you’ll find a Whitethroat or Blackcap along the way.

2. Tails of the Riverbank

Over the past 11 years Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, working in collaboration with partners have returned Water Voles to four rivers, the Stort, Ver, Beane and Upper Lea. The Boxmoor Trust has also put them back on the Bulbourne. Before the vegetation gets too high, spring is a great time to look for this iconic resident of the riverbank. To give yourself the best chance of seeing one, find a good vantage point overlooking the river, stand or sit quietly and wait patiently. You may hear them first – listen out for rustling as they move through the reeds. Given they spend most of their time amongst vegetation I can’t guarantee you’ll see a whole vole at any one time, but heads or tails, I can guarantee it will be an experience to remember.

3. May flies by

In May it’s worth setting aside time for a few walks along our chalk rivers in the hope of hitting upon a day when the mayflies emerge. The flies have evolved such that they emerge en-masse, thereby reducing slightly the risk of predation. If you visit the river on the right day you will experience one of nature’s great spectacles - thousands upon thousands of insects taking to the air and dancing over the river in a mesmerising ballet. Many individuals will perish before escaping the river’s grip, food for fish such as Brown Trout, which become embroiled in a feeding frenzy such is their addiction to these tiny packs of protein.

4. Stop mowing, get buzzing!

The best lawns for wildlife are those where some areas are allowed to grow long, allowing flowers to bloom and set seed. Selfheal, speedwells, daisies, clovers and Bird’s-foot Trefoil will all thrive if mowing is reduced, even for just a few weeks. Just raising the cutting blades on mowers to 50mm will allow flowering to take place below the cut. Why not try it as the flowers will quickly attract butterflies such as the Common Blue, and bumblebees.

5. Hear the world come alive

April is the perfect month to be still and listen and where better to start than the dawn chorus? If you have young charges – children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews - make a plan to get up early and have a ‘dawn adventure’ to see the sun come up and listen to the birds welcoming the new day. It’ll be even more enticing if it involves a special breakfast afterwards! Ideally you and your young listeners should be up and in place an hour before dawn. You don’t necessarily have to travel – back gardens or the local park can be great places to listen too. Once in place, settle down, close your eyes and just listen – this is something we do all too rarely. The important thing for me is not to get too hung up on identifying the birds but to just let the children enjoy a moment of stillness with nature providing the soundtrack. 

Here are our top five nature reserves for a tuneful, break-of-the-day visit: 

• Cassiobury Park, Watford

• King’s Meads, Ware

• Old Park Wood, Harefield

• Balls Wood, Hertford Heath

• Fir and Pond Woods, near Potters Bar

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