Wildlife watch

Stevie Derrick shows you what to spot in nature this month

May is a great time to explore the outdoors. Those April showers have subsided and summer is almost upon us.

The natural world is also bursting with colour and commotion. Bluebells carpet woodlands, pink and white blossoms appear in hawthorn hedges and bees and butterflies are busy pollinating plants.

Soon, you will start to see signs of baby animals being born. You might see fluffy lambs running around fields, and baby ducks taking their first swim in lakes, ponds and rivers. While there are lots of tiny new animals to see, some creatures are still searching for a breeding mate.

National Dawn Chorus Day takes place on 5 May. Birds, including robins, skylarks, blackcaps and nightingales - alongside many others - join together in the early hours of the day to sing their hearts out. Looking for love or defending their territory, these birds get very noisy from around sunrise, so get up early, grab a warm blanket and head outside to soak up nature's symphony. The chorus is already past its peak by 6.30am, but if you get up later, you will still be able to enjoy many birds singing.

To get an idea of what the dawn chorus sounds like, watch a recording from Lackford Lakes in Suffolk here: tinyurl.com/SN-sing

HIDE AND SEEK

The drooping petals of the yellow iris flower are perfect hiding spots for small animals such as frogs.

Hairy dragonfly