Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Old Speckled Hen]

Our daffs are budding, honeysuckle leaves are showing in the hedgerows and the wild arum lily is through. The bees have been out collecting snowdrop and hazel.

It's light at 7 and not dark till 6 ....all of a sudden. There is a definite morning chorus now with the blackbirds singing at 6 in the morning.

The blue tits are checking out our nest boxes.

Yesterday a Sparrowhawk sat on top of the bird feeder and there was absolute silence in the garden but when it flew off the little birds were back in 10 seconds. Later it came back to crash through the Ivy chasing a sparrow into the next field where it happily (not for the sparrow though ) munched it's prey for 15 minutes.

 

 

What's your garden doing for spring?

[chick wiggle]

Wow! What a beautiful picture OSH I have noticed in the last couple of weeks while walking the dog how the snowdrops are blooming and the dafs are budding along with trees etc. Spring just round the corner? Oh i really hope so

[Jools]

Wow, absolutely fabulous photo OSH! I had a close encounter with a sparrowhawk a couple of years ago - he'd become trapped in my makeshift fruit cage and was furious with me for trying to release him!

 

We've really noticed the increase in morning and evening bird song too - the cock chaffinch(es) have been word perfect for over a week now and the blackbird reminds me he needs mealworms when I go out to shut the bantams up in the evening.

 

The amelanchiers have been in bud for a couple of weeks, the hawthorns too. The daffs are poking through and I also noticed the beginnings of life in the Honeysuckle at the weekend.

 

It must be nearly spring - I've been busy in the polytunnel too!

[LuckyChickenLover-]

Amazing photo OSH

[kinsk]

Fantastic photo.

 

I noticed yesterday that the wild garlic is starting to come through. I love the smell of that stuff.

[Old Speckled Hen]

Fantastic photo.

 

I noticed yesterday that the wild garlic is starting to come through. I love the smell of that stuff.

The young shoots are great in salads

We have masses in the hedgerows and the lanes do smell....................

None through yet though.

I'm just waiting for the primroses.

[The Dogmother]

Lovely photo

 

Yes, it really is coming on - if all the plants aren't drowned by this rain

 

Most of the trees have buds of some form on them, the willow in our park has quite big leaf buds and an early flowering mock cherry has flowers on it already.

[Tiggy]

I love spring my favorite time of year, what a great photo

[Daphne]

Great photo again OSH I saw 2 wood pigeons mating on a cable yesterday - does this count as a sign Also, the garden stinks from next doors chicken pellet manure on tidied up and weeded asparagus beds - this must be a sign

 

I watched a bumble bee 'sunbathe' standing up and holding on with its front legs on a conifer

Some of my rose bushes are beginning to bud and leaves are starting to appear on a couple.

Snowdrop is in flower, crocus' looks a bit feeble and the other bulbs are still very slow and small.

Hedgerows are in bud, catkins have been out on the hazels for ages but the only pussy willow I have seen was in a florists. The geraniums look like they are going to take over my borders (already) but my peonies and most of the other perenniels are still below the ground.

The euphorbias are starting to sprout their central rosettes and spikes - I love their lime green and dark red/purple contrasts.

[WitchHazel]

What an amazing photo, well done!

[Valkyrie]

That's a super photo!

Here the roses are starting to shoot out - although most of them didn't lose all their leaves so I shall have to get out with the secateurs pdq! The daffs are also in bud. The yellow winter jasmine is still flowering. The garlic and the winter onions are speeding along nicely and the hens are beginning to start laying. Well we still have 2 to perform - one can be forgiven as she has just got her new feathers after moulting all winter and the other one is a fat lazy orpie.

The weather could be much better though, the garden is saturated and there has been very little sunshine. Just gloomy and wet for most of the time. One day of sunshine means a week of bleh. But the snowdrops are doing really well and some have finished already. I have different species and some of those are taller but later flowering. The snowflakes are sending up green leaves and some of the tulip leaves are showing. The rhubarb is also poking up. Summer will be here soon. I hope it is!

[ubereglu]

What a superb picture. The birds have been a lot noisier around here and Muddles has come back into lay. The days are getting longer and I can walk to my music lessons every week in the light, (not on the way back though-still dark!). 2 daffodils are out in the garden and the trees are coming into bud. Spring is definitely starting and the garden is waking up again.

[Lewis]

Great picture Dani!

 

Spring for me means Lambing!

... might make a new thread about that though

[Groovychook]

I saw lots of violets in the hedgerows yesterday

 

We've got some daffodils in bloom, quite a few daisies in the waterlogged lawn & I've spotted my first primrose!

There's light at the end of the tunnel! Hurray!!

[Old Speckled Hen]

 

Spring for me means Lambing!

... might make a new thread about that though

 

Oooooooh yes please do and pictures pictures.

Spotted a few lambs already some really big so obviously grown indoors.

 

Yes, let's all of us get lamb pictures on..........spot the breed

 

Groovychook,

I love those dog violets. We have some in the garden, as well as lots in the hedgerows......not out yet though

[Miss Millies Chicken]

Frogspawn in the garden pond and tits are starting to investige the nesting boxes. First daff is nearly open

[Lewis]

Spring for me means Lambing!

... might make a new thread about that though

Oooooooh yes please do and pictures pictures.

Spotted a few lambs already some really big so obviously grown indoors.

Yes, let's all of us get lamb pictures on..........spot the breed

*makes a thread*

[ali-s]

Found a tiny clump of Snowdrops yesterday just about to open. daffodils have still to appear. Heard a Skylark yesterday for the first time this year.

[Valkyrie]

I forgot about the crocuses - they've been out for some time now. Basingstoke has loads dotted around in mixed colours - looks very pretty.

Have you noticed how much moss there is on the trees? I've never seen it like that before. The blackbirds are pecking it off in clumps.

[Cinnamon]

I have lovely green sprouts on my Blackcurrants & Blueberries.

My Pyrocantha (*sp) hedge is almost bare of berries now - it was smothered this year - & the local birdies all look very fat!

Daffs are up & budding,the Snowdrops are in their final florish stage,as they were early this year.

 

...........and its raining,so Spring must be on its way!

[Old Speckled Hen]

I love it at that pivotal moment when suddenly everything looks green. First the hedgerows and trees start to bud, then along comes the blackthorn on bare branches then you look around and Spring is here

[Cinnamon]

It is great isn't it?

The air somehow smells more spring-like too.

I don't know how,& couldn't explain what 'more spring-like' actually smells like,but it does!

[The Dogmother]

I noticed that the other morning when walking the dog - it was warmer than of late and I could smell the earth

[Valkyrie]

Clare - that's because you're knee deep in mud like we are here!

[The Dogmother]

I know... this morning there was a lot of standing water in the park, not just on the paths but on the grass and beds