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 March winds may blow, but this month will also bring numerous early signs of spring. Find out what to look out for...
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 A brief backwards glace at the memorable cold spell in January and a look forward to February's wildlife highlights.
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 As we welcome in the New Year, why not walk off a few pounds and enjoy Dorset in winter?
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 As winter sets in, day length continues to shorten and preparations for Christmas loom large, it's all too easy to miss out on the wildlife to be seen in Dorset as we approach the end of 2009
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 Thanks to the Gulf Stream, we enjoy a relatively mild autumn (even though we may not think so!) so there's always lots to watch out for in November. Here are just a few of the highlights...
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 We are all familiar with the plant and animal kingdoms, but in October we are reminded of an entirely separate kingdom, the fungi. Although they are with us largely unseen throughout the year, autumn is when the fruiting bodies of mushrooms and toadstools appear, as if by magic.
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 September is a month for migrating, storing winter reserves and lapping up the last of the summer sun. From blackcaps to lizards, there's plenty to see this month.
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 For us, August can mean the school holidays, a break from routine and with luck some sunny weather to enjoy the natural world. There is plenty to see this month but also there are telltale signs that nature is responding to decreasing day length and preparing for autumn.
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 Now that Springwatch is a distant memory, summer really is here! Throughout Dorset, there are plenty of opportunities to be inspired, surprised and fascinated by our native plants and animals as you take a leisurely walk or enjoy a picnic.
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 The first flush of spring growth may be over, but with temperatures rising, Dorset offers the wildlife enthusiast an impressive and ever-changing sequence of flowering plants across the county this month.
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 As spring slips into May, many of our resident birds are on eggs or feeding young, most summer migrants are singing to defend territories and attract mates but a few are still to make their entrance.
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 In April there is no escaping the changes sweeping across our countryside as spring unfolds before us. The hedgerows are whitewashed with blackthorn blossom, new flowers appear in hedges, woods and pastures, insects emerge to exploit the flowers and huge numbers of migrant birds make landfall in Dorset.
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 March may not always feel springlike, but the length of each day has been increasing for well over two months now and many plants and animals have been responding. Find out what you can see in March...
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