As winter begins to fade, signs of spring are starting to emerge across the UK. From the first snowdrops pushing through leaf litter to the vibrant wildflowers and the hum of emerging insects, spring is a season of awakening that anyone can enjoy in their local parks, woodlands, and gardens.
One of the earliest signs of spring is the appearance of catkins, which form on many trees before their leaves. Between January and March, hazel catkins appear, also known as ‘lambs tails’ for their soft, elongated (and wiggly) shape, followed by purple alder catkins in February and March. By March, silver birch and willow catkins arrive, turning yellow as they release their pollen.
If you look more closely at tree branches you’ll see their buds beginning to swell, turning glossy before finally bursting open to reveal the leaves beneath. In March, keep an eye on ash, beech, oak and rowan. Soon, the first leaves will unfurl with alder, field maple and silver birch.
Then it’s time for blossom. Blackthorn, cherry plum and wild cherry are often the first to bloom, adding their frothy pink and white blossoms to hedgerows, streets and parks. These blossoms are an important early source of nectar for bees and other pollinators.
Looking beneath your feet in the woodlands and at the base of hedgerows at this time of year may also reveal many wonders of spring. Snowdrops, often emerging in February (but sometimes as early as late December), are the most reliable herald of spring. Snowdrops are followed by lesser celandine, wild daffodils, wild garlic, wood anemones and coltsfoot, carpeting woodland floors in colour.
Snowdrops Crocuses Daffodils Hazel catkins Lesser celandine Wood anenome Wild garlic Early cherry blossom A beech bud nestled in last year’s beech leaves
Spring also brings delight to the ears, with the dawn chorus growing louder in March. Rooks are usually the first to start nest building in February, closely followed by blue-tits and blackbirds. It’s important to keep this in mind when working on trees in the late winter and early spring to avoid disturbing birds’ nests.
On warmer days, butterflies such as the peacock, red admiral and brimstone butterflies search for nectar, along with queen bumblebees. In ponds and slow-moving water, clusters of jelly-like frogspawn appear. You may also be lucky to spot ‘mad March hares’ boxing in open fields as part of their courtship displays.
These signs of spring offer a hopeful glimpse of the inner workings of our environment that are hidden away over winter and so often overlooked.
Don’t forget to tag us in your spring photos!
