First signs of Spring 2015 (1 Viewer)

[Xenospiza]

The garrison troops here, some of whom go for runs in mid winter dressed in shorts and t-shirts are seen by the locals as totally mad:eek!: so anyone underdressed in winter is dismissed as "verrückter Engländer"

Oh I was wrapped up alright: it was just the fact that I was back on my local patch!
But when I go running I wear shorts, which does not fail to surprise any of my long-trousered German colleagues.

 

[Sangahyando]

Middle Spotted Woodpecker "singing" last Sunday in a forest near my "local patch" (saw it, too). Still sounded a bit unsure, though.

 

[Boro Birder]

Raven with nest material in its bill at Rhossilli today.

Ravens are notorious early breeders, late Jan, Feb, another the Mistle Thrush, which by the way I seen with nesting material last week.
Last year one (nest) on the 1st Jan, if I'm correct Gt Manchester in a urban area with young, meaning she had gone down early December, so you see anything is possible.

Damian

 

[Boro Birder]

Apologies (Nest was found on the 1st Jan).
(Nest was found with good sized young)

Still half asleep. Lol

Damian

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

2 Grey Wagtails dancing over the mill pond this morning.

 

[Andy Hurley]

A pair of Great Crested Grebes did a few movements of their courtship display at the Lippesee near Paderborn today

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Loads of signs of spring in last few days - Chaffinch, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush and Reed Bunting all singing. First flowering Daffodil today in South Cheshire. Weirdest of all tho was a day-flying Bat!! Not expected for mid Feb!!

CB

 

[ovenbird43]

No signs of spring yet in upstate New York, piles of shoveled snow around here tower higher than me, blustery wind today blowing snow all around and a frigid windchill of -30 degrees C. Some mornings have been so cold my dog doesn't want to poop, and instead rolls over in the snow to get off his paws! The only birds I've seen lately are starlings, pigeons, crows, and gulls.

Can't WAIT for spring!

 

[Richard Prior]

2 Grey Wagtails dancing over the mill pond this morning.

Ah,so the pond was still frozen Helen ?

Buzzard has returned to our neck of the woods now that the snow's melting, poor thing was 'welcomed' by a pair of angry Carrion Crows, so they're being territorial now.

 

[chris butterworth]

Sky Lark have been very scarce on the saltmarsh, at West Kirby, this winter so it was great to find them in song and chasing each other this morning, Shelduck were displaying out on the beach and male Herring Gull were giving "long calls" and "head tossing" with a couple of females assuming a "submissive posture" on the local rooftops. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming and Dunnock, Robin and Blackbird were in song.

 

[Helenelizabeth2]

A House Sparrow carrying nesting material into the creepers on the mill wall this morning.

Also, the sun felt like Spring sunshine today - please don't ask me for a scientific definition of that - just believe me.

 

[ovenbird43]

-11 F yesterday morning, but sunny and a Black-capped Chickadee was singing.

Arctic chill to continue throughout the week with more snow Wednesday night.

 

[Samuel Perfect]

Frogspawn in Falmouth (Cornwall) last weekend. Blackbird singing and GSWoodpeckers drumming.

 

[dantheman]

Long-tailed Tit with nesting material (feather) today, Coot building a nest 2 days ago.

 

[HighHunter1232]

I live outside of Seattle. 55 F today. This is the pussy willow blooming in my front yard. The tulips are pushing up and I saw a humming bird today. I think spring is here!

 

[super-silly-um]

Reading Derwent May in The Times, it seems his observations of the Spring are a little bit ahead of us up here in the North East. It's great to know what is imminent. I remember hearing that Spring 'moves North' at about 2 mph, and with a quick calculation on a very variable scale, I tend to agree.

Richard

 

[perlin]

Report yesterday,of Robin on 3 eggs in Lancaster.

 

[lazza]

Out on my bike at the weekend, and the hedgerows and woods were bursting with bird song. There seemed to be a singing dunnock perched on top of a hedge every 15-20m! And there were plenty of singing wrens, chaffinch, robins and blackbirds, as well as my first greenfinch tchaaaayyyYing.

 

[Euan Buchan]

Heard a few birds singing more at Dawn & Dusk.

 

[Boro Birder]

Was out on Sunday, looking for any early nests to record, Mistle Thrush, Woodcock was our target birds but only seen a Robin with nesting material, Goldcrest singing and soon has we got above 800ft the only bird on the moor was a pair of Stonechats and still felt very much like winter, male Stonechat still had winter plumage.

Damian