Signs of SPRING

Early flowers, returning birds, and mammals and insects beginning new cycles – some of the sights and sounds that spring is beginning in the county

- Rebecca Gibson

Pops of colour begin to appear in woods, parks and gardens up and down the county. Soon after, the tentative sound of birdsong builds to a symphony that peaks in May. Until then, there are mates to win, nests to build and food to gather now that spring is on it’s way. The signs of spring are appearing.

Leading the way in the flower world is the snowdrop, its pretty white flower with three inner petals, called tepals, hanging from a green stem. Its Latin name Galanthus nivalis means ‘milk flower of the snow’.

In recent years, the flower has become an indicator of a changing climate. In the 1950s, snowdrops usually flowered towards the end of February, but as a result of milder winters, they are now appearing far earlier, sometimes even before new year. As snowdrops are active at a time when many pollinators are still dormant, the flower speeds along its dispersal by splitting its bulb, enabling new flowers to grow and multiply.