The First Signs Of Spring

It was only a couple of weeks ago that I was writing about how cold it was.

Well, what a difference a fortnight makes! Although it's still a bit frosty in the mornings, every day seems to be getting a bit more 'spring-like'.

It's not just that the sun is shining. There are other little clues that spring is on its way...

Spring plants are beginning to appear. Here are some snowdrops I saw on the farm.

Snowdrops
Snowdrops: one of the first signs of spring.

I was walking in the woods this week and I heard a loud 'drilling' sound coming from somewhere in the trees.

Do you know what could have made that sound?

Yes, that's right: a woodpecker!

A great spotted woodpecker, to be precise. The male drums on the side of a tree to attract females. He deliberately chooses a tree that makes his drumming sound as loud as possible. A great spotted woodpecker's drumming can be heard up to half a mile away!

The woodpecker in the video below is cheating: he's drumming on the side of a nest box!

Another sound of spring I've heard this week is a great tit's 'squeaky gate' call. Listen to it in the video below: it sounds just like a rusty old gate swinging open and shut!

Listen out and see if you can hear either of these signs of spring for yourself.

And these are just a few signs that spring is on its way; there are plenty more. Many of our garden birds have their own special songs that they start to sing around this time, and many new flowers will soon start to appear.

Keep your eyes (and ears) open and see if you can be the first to spot one of the signs of spring!

Farmer Tin