As Kevin mentioned last week, spring is just about here - or very close. Yesterday I saw my first blackthorn blossom of the year. It was a cold, windy day, but seeing a few buds bursting reminded me of what's to come.
I've read some reports of long-tailed tits starting to build their nests. Blackthorn bushes are great places for them to raise a family, as the twigs have huge thorns (as the name suggests). The blossom can provide a source of nectar for early-emerging butterflies (have you seen one yet?), and in autumn the fruits - sloes, popular with birds and humans alike - ripen.
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