Hares have been boxing each other in their annual fisticuffs out in the open countryside this spring. This is not a mating ritual, though, or even two males punching each other for the right to get mates or territory - it is females fending off over-amorous males who are rather too keen on mating. These are common brown hares, and they are also astonishingly fast, capable of reaching speeds of 40mph to escape predators.
March's balmy sunshine brought out butterflies, and brimstones – one of the few British butterflies that hibernate as an adult – woke up early from their hibernation. The male's bright yellow wings are easy to spot and their buttery colour may even have been the origin of the word "butterfly". The comma butterfly came out over much of England, small tortoiseshells appeared in Scotland and the beautiful red admiral showed up in southern England. The unusually warm weather also brought bats and hedgehogs out from their hibernation.
But this month's bitter winds have sent wildlife scurrying for shelter. The lurch into wet and snowy weather has brought some relief from the drought, though, which was beginning to hit pondlife and river creatures particularly hard. And should another long dry spell of weather return, gardeners can help by preparing valuable wet refuges – animals ranging from hedgehogs to bees appreciate birdbaths, ponds, bog gardens, open compost heaps or simply putting out dishes of water.