CONTENTS

March 2017

20

Northern gannets are among the throngs of seabirds thriving in Yorkshire’s nature triangle

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Wild

6 Hazel catkins

A sign that spring is here, says Chris Packham 8 March highlights

Soaring sparrowhawks, feisty siskins, furry bee-flies and rare garganey ducks 11 Hidden Britain

Nick Baker’s new column examines barnacles in detail 12 Wild events

What’s on in March, a visit to RSPB Coombes Valley and a Devon wildlife talk 14 Latest science research

Why can’t monkeys speak? Plus, manta rays’ surprising diet and colourful flatworms

Features

20 Yorkshire’s nature triangle

Why it’s worth a journey to this newly defined wildlife haven near the Humber 30 Lend me your ears

The importance of listening to birdsong 36 Surviving the winter

Red squirrel kittens are born in a snug drey

38 Worm charming

Why we should learn to love wonderful earthworms 46 Humpbacks in Scotland

A magical encounter with cetaceans off Shetland 50 Blogger Awards results

Winning Local Patch Reporters and their blogs 66 Fresh data on dippers

Why does the bird dip? 74 King cobra

A fascinating snake killer 80 Reef encounter

Incandescent images of wildlife beneath the waves

Agenda

53 Fast-tracking to extinction

Conservationists raise alarm over cheetahs 54 Centurion orca dies

Killer whale longevity highlighted by two deaths 55 Beyond the headlines

Separating fact from fiction 56 Conservation insight

Threats to marine iguanas 59 Mark Carwardine

Fisheries bycatch 60 Happy hedgehogs

Finding a helping hand at a wildlife hospital

Ta ke a c l o s e r look at worms 38

4 BBC Wildlife

March 2017