Author Topic: Signs of Spring  (Read 208559 times)

Kim

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #450 on: 28 March, 2012, 10:05:04 pm »
Butterflies, bumble bees and several thousand midges were spotted (and in a couple of unfortunate cases, swallowed) on our pootle this afternoon...

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #451 on: 30 March, 2012, 10:26:27 am »
Three bees this week. Today's was roughly the size of a hamster.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.


Wowbagger

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #452 on: 30 March, 2012, 01:15:17 pm »
Butterflies, bumble bees and several thousand midges were spotted (and in a couple of unfortunate cases, swallowed) on our pootle this afternoon...

YOU'VE SWALLOWED BUTTERFLY?  :o
Quote from: Dez
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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #453 on: 01 April, 2012, 08:58:26 pm »
A pied flycatcher disappeared into a hedge in front of me this morning. Since it's the first one I've ever spotted (should that be espied?) I don't know if it's particularly early arriving here.

In a sunny hedgebottom, red campion & greater stitchwort in flower and yellow archangel with flower buds just showing yellow.

Our garden pond is now populated by tadpoles rather than frogspawn. There still seems to be some water as well.

Lots of oak & ash catkins around. Discovered that the green on weeping willows is due to catkins, not leaves. The sticky buds on most of the horse chestnuts have burst & green flower spikes are showing above the limp-looking leaves.

Wowbagger

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #454 on: 17 April, 2012, 10:36:17 am »
On the Rutland Water ride last weekend I saw my first swallows of the year and heard my first willow warblers.

It's still bloody cold today though.

Edit: I heard some blackcaps as well.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

CountrySickness

  • mostly puzzled
Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #455 on: 17 April, 2012, 08:24:21 pm »
I heard my 1st Willow warblers yesterday and I saw my first Redstart today, Wales is officially basking in the glow of  mid, not just early, Spring ;D

Wowbagger

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #456 on: 30 April, 2012, 03:50:53 pm »
The first cuckoo, at Doggetts Farm.

I heard it and cuckooed back at it, but it wasn't playing ball. It wasn't all that close to me and was upwind, so it may not have heard.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #457 on: 13 May, 2012, 05:51:52 pm »
Heard my first cricket of the year today. Didnt see the little chap though. There are always some in the grass bank below field hedge opposite our house.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

LindaG

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #458 on: 13 May, 2012, 10:28:11 pm »
On Tuesday - heard a cuckoo.  We seem to be blessed with many goldfinches in the hedgerows hereabouts this year as well.

Wowbagger

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #459 on: 11 December, 2012, 08:23:29 am »
Snowdrops are poking through the soil but are not in flower yet. There is a patch in Priory Park which have flowered before Christmas every year for the last 8. Yesterday I heard a greater spotted woodpecker drumming, which is supposed to be a sign of spring, although I think it was just confused. At least, as of yesterday, sunset won't get any earlier. The sun sets at 3.51 for 5 afternoons and, on 15th, goes back to 3.52. We have to wait until new year before sunrise gets earlier though.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #460 on: 11 December, 2012, 11:09:27 am »
Spring ! I'm still waiting for summer ??

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #461 on: 11 December, 2012, 03:15:15 pm »
Spring ! I'm still waiting for this year's summer ??
FTFY

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #462 on: 18 December, 2012, 10:09:53 pm »
There were a number of white tipped goat willow catkin buds in Wappenbury Wood today. They'll doubtless take their time to open into pussy willow. Willows seem to be enjoying the sogginess of this year.

Wowbagger

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #463 on: 21 December, 2012, 10:37:12 am »


The first snowdrop of the winter!  :D

Taken on my crap HTC phone.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #464 on: 21 December, 2012, 11:31:37 am »
Hurrah!
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #465 on: 27 December, 2012, 11:34:58 pm »
Seems terribly early. Are they usually out in December in Essex?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Wowbagger

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #466 on: 28 December, 2012, 12:15:21 am »
No. It's an exceptional patch in a very sheltered place which just happens to get the midday sun (if it shines) even in December. I don't know of any others that flower so early, but I've watched this patch for the past 8 years and this is the latest I can remember. I have known them in flower before the middle of the month.

It may well be an early strain. I can't say I know a lot about snowdrops.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Basil

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #467 on: 28 December, 2012, 09:02:45 am »
There's picture I took of daffs in full bloom 25/12/11.  It's one year back on this thread.  I looked at the same patch yesterday. 
All up with a big green head on them, but only one showing any sign of beginning to open.  So prolly about at least 2/3 weeks later this year.  Which in my opinion is a good thing.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Wowbagger

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #468 on: 04 January, 2013, 11:01:50 am »
Yesterday: a blackbird singing and a crow carrying nesting material.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #469 on: 07 January, 2013, 01:36:00 pm »
Buds, buds, buds. Even some blossom on trees. And birdsong.
"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #470 on: 07 January, 2013, 03:06:14 pm »
Lots of birdsong at the woods over the weekend.  Blue tits, great tits, coal tits, robins, song thrushes, dunnocks, goldfinches all in full spring song, and great spotted woodpeckers drumming too.  We have a few willow catkins coming out at the bottom of Betty's Wood where it is sheltered, plus the daffodils coming up.  In short, spring seems to have arrived.
Spinning, but not cycling...

Wowbagger

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Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #471 on: 08 January, 2013, 07:03:32 am »
There is a blackbird singing loudly not far from my bedroom window. He's the only one, which makes it a dawn solo.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #472 on: 08 January, 2013, 05:08:02 pm »
It has been seeming very springlike so far this month. I'm looking forward to a bit of proper winter before the proper spring.  :thumbsup:
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #473 on: 08 January, 2013, 06:07:47 pm »
There's time, there's time. We could have a month or two of proper winter yet.
"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

Eccentrica Gallumbits

  • Rock 'n' roll and brew, rock 'n' roll and brew...
Re: Signs of Spring
« Reply #474 on: 14 January, 2013, 08:40:01 am »
The bulbs in my window boxes are sending shoots of green up, and one of the primroses appears to be starting to flower, which seems a little ambitious for January.
My feminist marxist dialectic brings all the boys to the yard.