Tell us about the arrival of spring where you are

Snowdrops are starting to appear around my area.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/photographygal123/

The snowdrops have been out for the past two weeks in south Devon at Dartmoor Zoo. Wonderful sight marking the first signs of spring. The Daffodil bulbs are shooting up too.

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Traditionally the 2nd February is the first stirring of spring, Imbolc , or Candlemas when the godess throws of the dark cloak of the winter crone and the maiden returns. Snowdrops are often seen as a symbol of the maiden Brighid and pagans will place them on the altar at an Imbolc celebration. In Bedfordhire have seen Snowdrops in bud and also Winter Aconite in flower as well as resident birds singing. Have seen and heard Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and Great Tit singing. Ravens and Tawny Owls will already be preparing to nest and I will be looking for displaying Ravens this weekend.

saw 2 bees in garden on 15th jan

on 15th jan saw 2 bees in garden

I live in Meanwood in Leeds and last week whilst waiting at the bus stop I saw two red kites, they looked very beautiful gliding over and under each other as if they were dancing, it was the highlight of my day. Proof indeed that the breeding programme at Harewood has been a resounding success.

Have a pure white squirrel visiting my garden regularly.Is this a common occurance in the grey squirrel family? As i have never seen one before.

Saw my first ever goldcrest yesterday,I was walking down the main road near to where i live and spotted it on a bush in a garden,stood for a good few minutes watching it, really wish i had my camera with me.What a beautifull little bird, really made my day!

I was pleased to see snowdrops bursting forth in Dorset, but even better was seeing two shy primroses on a sunny bank beside the snowdrops

Snowdrops popped up a few weeks ago and crocuses came out on the 23rd Jan near me (SW London).



I saw a blue tit investigating a nest box last sunday and today i saw a pair of long-tailed tits, not the usual chatter of them (is that the collective noun?).



there has been a Gt Spotted Woody drumming in the small park near work this week.

<RICHPOST> Frogs calling in my garden pond on 4th and 5th Feb, probably spawn in the next few days... <BR /><p><BR /><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/chickenzown/5419627122/" title="Spring arrives in Anglesey! 4 Feb 11 by chickenzown, on Flickr"></a><BR /><BR /></RICHPOST>

Hello. We set about doing some early spring cleaning in our garden pond. Over recent years it's become less a of pond, and more of a wetland bog, but we like it that way because for several years now it has flourished as a nursery for frogs, and we were looking forward to their springtime return. But sadly, as we were thinning out the pond plants we discovered many adult frogs [14 in fact] were dead in the pond. We think that the recent prolonged and hard winter weather has frozen the pond surface and prevented them from getting to the surface to breathe. Would that be correct?



Has anyone had a similar experience to us? Does anyone think that some of our frogs might still be alive and well in and araound the garden. Here's hoping that there are!

Toads have joined the fanfare this evening... singing in the rain!

Having had trouble sleeping, I decided to sit outside at 12.45am on 6th January 2011...and I heard the most amazing shrill bird song. Tonight was the second time I heard it, (and still it continues at 1.45am) Having checked out the internet, I believe we have a Nightingale about 150 - 200 yards away, in a very lightly wooded area between a housing estate and open farmland. It seems very early in the year to hear such a bird. And as I have never heard such, find it unusual for this area (post code [Personal details removed by Moderator]).

Talking frogs, I heard our first croak on 9th January from our garden pond!

Great tits, Blue Tits, Wood pigeons, Collared Doves, Chaffinches and Robins are actively seeking mates in the oak tree at the end of our garden. Two days ago I heard the local woodpecker return with his drumming of the nearby trees and toads are around in the garden leaf debris. We have even seen a Grey Heron collecting nesting twigs from the end of the garden twice this week. Spring seems to be arriving early in our area.

Wendyjo. The bird you can hear singinbg at night is almost certainly a Robin. They are superb singers, sing virtually all year round and ofter sing at night, particularly if the area is illuminated by artificial light. Blackbirds and Thrushes also sometimes sing at night. The Nightingale is very much a sub-saharan migrant that does not arrive in Britain until the end of April and is found mainly in woodland with a dense impenetrable understorey. They are mainly birds of the South and East of Britain and are sadly less common than previously. In Southern Europe they are still common and occur in villages, In Hungary they were singing from every clump of scrub. The best place I know of to see Nightingale is Little Paxton Nature Reserve near St Neots in early May.

I heard a blackbird singing whilst I cycled on the way to work this morning, the first I've heard this year. The great tits in our area have been singing for weeks, and a pair of collared doves are building a nest in the bush at the end of our garden.

Child of Herne - thank you for that information. It does seem unlikely to be a Nightingale. I was trying to compare the sound to recordings online. Whatever it is, the song is very loud indeed and goes on from 1am until 2am! I will try to get a recording & get my son to analyse it on his computer!!!

If the song is very loud it is probably a Blackbird or possibly a Song or Mistle Thrush singing because it is disturbed by artificial lighting.

JUST SPOTED HONEY BEES COMING AND GOING FROM MY POND IN LONDON HACKNEY.

Frogspawn in the garden pond this morning, this evening the pond is alive with mating frogs and toads!



https://www.flickr.com/photos/chickenzown/5436397337/

About thirty frogs appeared from nowhere this morning (11th Feb) in our garden pond. Darker coloured ones appeared first, and started croaking loudly, then came lighter coloured ones that might have been females? My question for Springwatch is this: How on earth do they know to all come on the same day? They don't have a calendar, so how do they arrange it? Thanks for explaining the mystery....

I have just been outside for 10 - 15 minutes and can hear clear sounds of distress from something about 200-300 yards away, in a dark wooded area adjacent to farmland. Sounds a bit like a young fox, but also has the sound of a large bird (owl?). Very confusing. Whatever it is, it is obviously being attacked/protecting it's home. Any ideas?

Just been for a ride through the Dorset Countryside. The snowdrops are at their best, catkins everywhere, and the primroses are appearing on the sunny banks. My pony knows it is warming,as she has a spring in her step, and has started to loose her winter coat.

I was most suprised to see a Wren chick in our garden this afternoon. If it was an adult it was the smallest Wren I have ever seen. Including the stubby tail, about the size of a medium sized walnut. If I see it again I will attempt to get some video of it.

I've had snowdrops in the garden (Tyne & Wear) for about 10 days now. My question is this as I've sat looking at the birds in the garden as usual but suddenly yesterday this tiny (same size as a blue tit) black and white down the back and absolutely cherry red breast appeared. Robins are brown with a red breast I believe?? so what's this one? I apologise if I offend serious birdwatchers with my ignorance but I've never seen this one before.

Dear Maggiemay your odd bird sounds like one of the small african finches related to Waxbills or Weavers. Many of this group are commonly kept as cage or aviary birds and often escape. Too cold for them in Britain but in Spain on Coto Donana both Common Waxbill and Golden Crowned Bishop have established breeding Colonies. Actually African species.

The frogs in my pond arrived at the begenning of the week 21st Feb it is now full and their is loads of spawn, is it seem to be early this year?