Signs of Spring by Flo Downing

The cold frost of winter has been blown away and spring has started to bloom.  Everywhere you look you can see signs of new life, from the bright trumpets of the daffodils to charming goldfinches with dashing bright flashes of yellow plumage.

Many think that spring is here when they go to their local farm and see lambs frolic in green paddocks. However, there are plenty of other signs of spring, often occurring much earlier in the season.  For example, in March all the queen bumblebees who have survived the wicked winter months now have the chance to greedily hunt gorgeous flowers filled with rich pollen and build hives full of subjects.  

As you may already know, many of our winged friends will migrate to a warmer climate for winter but as if driven by an unstoppable force, the minute that half decent weather shows up they’ll all fly back from their charming holiday.   Some of the first birds to arrive are chiffchaffs, sand martins and wheatears but as spring progresses they are followed by swallows, swifts, nightingales, warblers and cuckoos, resulting in orchestra of magnificent birdsong.

Bluebells will often emerge from their winter slumber and emerge from their bulbs, first as small green stems, but it is not long before entire forests are carpeted in the gorgeous blue flowers.  Another common sight is the primrose, a quaint little flower that pops out its delicate yellow face throughout April and May.

One of my personal favourite signs of spring is the mass, uncontrolled surge of frogs and toads.  They are all heading back to the pond where they themselves were born.  Soon thousands and thousands of spawn will be laid.  The frogspawn can be seen as a large jellied clump, and toad spawn is in straight and carefully placed lines.  Soon tadpoles will emerge. 

Flo Downing Year 6