As we all know we’ve had a huge amount of rain recently and it almost seems like it’s never going to end however when the sun does comes out there’s a real warmth behind it and all the wildlife down here at the Exe Estuary and elsewhere seems to know it too.
In my garden at home the snowdrops have been up for a while now and the daffodils are forging ever higher and the frogs are returning to the pond in numbers.
In the last few weeks I’ve seen some really amazing signs that Spring seems to be catching up with us at last. As the mornings and evenings get lighter and the commute to work gets more enjoyable the trees and plants are starting to respond. The mild weather and increased day length means that the sap starts rising up filling the buds that eventually start to burst.
One of the first to show these signs is the Goat Willow which is more commonly called the ‘pussy willow’. This tree has the most amazing catkins and starts flowering really early. The soft silky catkins which are in fact the flowers of the tree have already started to come out on a number of the trees on the reserve. The trees are either male or female, the female catkins mature to a yellow, producing fine pollen, and the male catkins stay a pale green. It’s a great time to get outside and try and spot the difference, although with all this water wellies are still needed! This tree is a lifesaver producing a fantastic food source for early insects.
Thinking of insects that benefit from this bounty, I saw the first bumblebee of the year down at Goosemoor yesterday, another sign that I look for that Spring may be on it’s way. I’d love to say I knew what species it was but it was flying so quickly it darted away without giving me a chance. It’s brilliant to see these goliaths of the insect world flying around again or should I say bumbling!
This early in the season it’s likely to be a queen bee recently awakened after a winter alone and underground using up the fat stored in her body from the previous year. When she awakens she has two things on her mind, first is to get some sugary nectar into her system to replenish her energy levels and then to find a hole in the ground to start her new colony. You can help these bumblebees in your own garden by planting bee friendly plants and trying not to use too many pesticides and other chemicals. The flowers will also make your garden look amazing!
Unfortunately like a lot of our wildlife they need our help at the moment. Here at the RSPB we also help them and other wildlife by providing a home for nature on a larger scale. Our grassland here at our Exe reserves consists of native plants and flowers and we also don’t spray any chemicals on it. On top of this we plant up large areas of our arable land with flowers including lot of sunflowers. These not only provide seeds for the birds in the winter but are buzzing with insects and bumblebees in the summer.
The birds also seem to be feeling the difference. Where birds seemed to be getting along fine in the tougher winter months they are starting to show territorial signs. The large flocks of small birds such as Blue Tits and Great Tits that hung around together searching for food are starting to separate out and strengthening their area by calling and chasing off intruders. The upside of this is that we get to hear the wonderful dawn and evening choruses starting again. If you get up early enough it really uplifts your whole day listening to it. Why not come down to the reserve early on a fine morning and hear it for yourself?
Who knows if this mild weather will last but why not make the most of it when you can and enjoy the start of a new season. We’d love to hear from you so let us know the wonderful Spring moments you get to see.