Winter is over at long last, and suddenly the Dales countryside is full of colour, bustle and new life.
SWALEDALE MEADOW
by Wayne Hutchinson
Buttercups open their flowers wide on sunny days, transforming Dales pastures into carpets of vibrant green-gold.
BLUE TIT
by Derek Middleton
As spring gets into full swing, our garden birds spend most of their daylight hours finding food to fill hungry mouths.
YOUNG RABBIT
by Andrew Bailey
For plant-eaters like rabbits, the lush new foliage provides a welcome feast – and helps conceal them from hungry predators.
SLEEPING DORMOUSE
by Paul Sheehan
YDNPA
Dormice are now well-established in Freeholders Wood, Aysgarth, thanks to a successful reintroduction programme that started in 2008.
MEADOW CRANESBILL
by Erica Olsen
This handsome blue-purple flower likes to grow in damp Dales hay meadows and lightly grazed limestone pastures.
KINGFISHER
by Paul Sawer
Kingfishers are tiny – this adult male probably weighs only 40g or so – but they can reach speeds of 25mph when diving for fish.
FOX AMONGST BLUEBELLS
by Frederic Desmette
Our native bluebells – not to be confused with the invasive Spanish species – are only found in ancient woodland or places where ancient woods once stood.
COMMON BLUE BUTTERFLIES
by Whitfield Benson
Common blues are on the wing from late April onwards. They can be found in meadows and rough grassland, where their caterpillars feed on clovers and birds-foot trefoil.
BARN OWL CHICKS
by Paul Sawer
After a long period of decline, the number of barn owls nesting in the Dales may at last have begun to recover.
BROWN HARE
by Whitfield Benson
Hares are largely nocturnal, but spring is one of the best times to see them, thanks to lighter evenings and the fact that grasses aren’t yet tall enough to hide them.
WATER VOLE
by Simon Litten
The water vole is one of Britain’s most endangered mammals. Fortunately there’s a thriving colony at Foxglove Covert Nature Reserve in Catterick Garrison.
BUFF ERMINE MOTH
by Whitfield Benson
The buff ermine moth is often seen in gardens from mid-spring onwards. Its hairy caterpillars feed on dandelions, nettles and honeysuckle.
