It is finally the end of what has seemed like an unusually long Winter. We have had plenty of snow this year, which was enjoyed by children up and down the country and a very cold March in particular with ‘The Beast from the East’ wreaking havoc up and down the country, a bit of warm weather will certainly now be welcomed with open arms. The daffodils are now in full bloom, a happy reminder that Spring is in the air, and the clocks going forward has brought the lighter evenings, giving people a spring in their step as Summer is only around the corner.
You may have already started to notice the ‘dawn chorus’. This is the birdsong that you can hear at dawn. It steadily increases through the weeks, reaching it’s peak early May. This is because it is the birds mating season, and they are all jostling for attention to find themselves a mate. A dawn chorus is best heard in the countryside on a clear, still morning at sunrise. It is a beautiful thing to wake up to. For many people, this is a relaxing and inspirational start to the day – for a lasting memory of the beautiful birds, have a look at a bronze animal sculpture from http://www.gillparker.com/ .
Other wildlife that you may start to notice at this time of the year will be in the pond. Frogs and toads in particular, are particularly noisy as they call to their mates. If you have access to a pond, have a look – you will notice the jelly like frogspawn in there and when it disappears, you will know that the tadpoles have emerged! Try to keep a track of them as they are fascinating to watch as they grow into adult frogs and toads.
Flowers – Of course the snowdrops and the daffodils herald the first signs of Spring, but if you are out on a woodland walk you might notice the strong smell of garlic in the air. This is coming from Ransoms (also known as wild garlic) and it’s strong smelling leaves appear in March, followed by the emergence of it’s white, star shaped flowers. In May, you will also be treated to the sight of a carpet of Bluebells if you head into the woods. There are many places where you can go to see these beautiful flowers in all their glory.
