Frogspawn

How to… Identify Signs of Spring in Britain

/ Laura Tuke / Leave a comment

This year the Spring Equinox occurred on the 20th March, marking the point when the sun sat directly over the Earth’s equator heading northward, alongside the start of a new season, in our case spring. With spring comes longer day lengths, milder temperatures, regrowth, new beginnings, and the literal ‘springing’ of plants from the ground. After tough winters and a period of dormancy for nature, the sights of spring understandably lift spirits and create hope and joy.

As we look ahead to spring and what it means to us all, people will also be looking for the first signs of its arrival to tell them the season is upon us. With an increase in activity within nature, these signs can differ for different people, with examples including the first snowdrops, mammals coming out of hibernation, or even birds such as Rooks beginning to nest. For Emma, my Rural vs Urban blog series co-writer (check it out!), her first signs of spring in Manchester are as follows:

Signs of spring in Manchester, as typed from the tram on a lovely spring day: sunshine reflected off the sides of the glass buildings, daffodils and crocuses bravely making an appearance on the grass banks, seeing the first few Manchester bees buzzing about, thinking that it’s warm enough to leave the house without a coat then realising you made a mistake when it pours down with rain later in the day, and sitting outside at the pub!

Though we may all have our own personal favourites, there are some popular first signs of spring that can easily be looked for in anyone’s local area across Britain. Why not try to find them all yourself?

1. Hazel Catkins

  • Hazel is one of the first of our native species to flower at the start of the year, bringing real colour and joy to the still wintery landscape
  • Latin Name: Corylus avellana
  • Name: Catkin refers to long cylindrical clusters of small flowers
  • When to See: January to April
  • Where to See: Woodlands, scrub areas and hedgerows
  • Identifying Features: Lemon-yellow with pollen when open, and shaped like a lambstail, hanging in clusters from hazel branches
  • Range: Widespread throughout Britain

2. Yellow Flowers

  • After a cold and grey winter, nothing raises the spirit like the blooming of sunshine yellow flowers in the landscape, a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings
  • Most Popular: Daffodils (Narcissus spp,); lesser celandines (Ficaria verna); primroses (Primula vulgaris); cowslips (Primula veris)
  • When to See: Daffodils= February to May; celandines= March to May; primroses= February to May; cowslips= April to May
  • Where to See: Daffodils= gardens, parks and woodlands; celandines= woodland, grassland and gardens; primroses= woodland, hedgerows, and gardens; cowslips= grassland, woodland and hedgerows
  • Identifying Features: Daffodils= inner trumpet shape with a crown of petals; celandines= shiny yellow stars; primroses= rosettes of pale petals with darker centres; cowslips= bell-shaped within a green casing

3. Frogspawn

  • A symbol of spring that captures the imagination from a young age with its strange and sudden appearance early each spring
  • What is it?: The eggs are most commonly laid by the common frog (Rana temporaria)
  • When to See: Mainly February to March
  • Where to See: Just below the surface of ponds and streams
  • Identifying Features: Floating clumps of jelly that are made up of lots of small jelly eggs with a black dot or developing tadpole at their centres
  • Range: Widespread across Britain but more likely to be seen in certain areas

4. Buzzing Bees

  • The sound of queen bees buzzing lazily around in warm sunshine is a real sound of spring, symbolising new life to come
  • Examples: Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris); red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius); tree bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum); white-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)
  • When to See: Buff-tailed= February to October; red-tailed= mainly March to August; tree= mainly March to July; white-tailed= March to October
  • Where to See: All can be seen in a wide range of habitats from woodland and farmland to gardens and heathland
  • Identifying Features: Buff-tailed= yellow collar near head and another on abdomen with queens having buff ‘tails’ and workers white with buff line above; red-tailed= black with red ‘tails’ with males having two yellow bands on thorax and one at base of abdomen; tree= ginger-brown thorax and black abdomen with white tail; white-tailed= black with two lemon-yellow bands on body and white ‘tail’

5. Chiffchaff

  • This tiny little bird is one of the earliest birds to arrive from warmer winter climes, and sing its heart out, heralding the start of spring
  • Latin Name: Phylloscopus collybita
  • Name: Named after its distinctive ‘chiff chaff chiff chaff’ song
  • When to See: Some winter in the UK, but can be heard singing from March to October when migrants return
  • Where to See: Woodland, scrubland, parks and gardens
  • Identifying Features: Green or dusky olive; short pale eye stripe; moderately dark eye stripe; dark legs; fine often dark bill; continuous tail-flicking movement; distinctive song
  • Range: Widespread across Britain, apart from more mountainous areas of Scotland

6. Pussy Willow

  • Emerging early on in the year, pussy willow is a real symbol of the beginnings of spring, and is often used as decorations at Easter
  • Latin Name: Salix caprea but also could refer to Salix cinerea
  • Name: Pussy willow is a colloquial name for goat willow, but is now often used for grey willow too. This is due to their furry male catkins looking like the soft, furry paws of a cat
  • When to See: February to April
  • Where to See: Woodland, hedgerows, scrub and damper, more open ground
  • Identifying Features: The more noticeable male flowers are the silver-grey, fluffy, and oval catkins standing upright from willow branches. They turn yellow when covered with pollen
  • Range: Widespread across Britain

7. Brimstone Butterfly

  • Though warmer, milder weather leads to the emerging of different butterfly species, the first brimstone butterfly is often the first species seen and its warm colour has connotations of sunshine and cheerfulness
  • Latin Name: Gonepteryx rhamni
  • Name: Brimstone is the old name for sulphur, which is the colour of the male butterfly’s wings
  • When to See: March onwards
  • Where to See: Can be seen in a wide variety of habitats, but the larval foodplants are alder buckthorn and buckthorn which is more scarcely distributed
  • Identifying Features: Veined wings with pale-yellow undersides and an orange dot on each wing. The uppersides are sulphurous yellow on males and paler on females
  • Range: Common in England and Wales, less common in Ireland, and very rare in Scotland

8. Spring Blossom

  • Everyone knows that spring is truly underway when blossom starts to coat trees and hedgerows in spectacular pastel fashion. It is a real spirit lifter after a long winter!
  • Examples: Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa); wild cherry (Prunus avium); hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
  • When to See: Blackthorn= March to April; wild cherry= April to May; hawthorn= April to June
  • Where to See: Blackthorn= hedgerows, woodland margins and scrubland; wild cherry= woodlands, gardens and hedgerows; hawthorn= hedgerows, woodland margins and scrubland
  • Identifying Features: Blackthorn= flowers white with 5 petals and red-tipped anthers; wild cherry= white flowers cup-shaped and with 5 petals; hawthorn= white flowers with 5 petals, pink or purple anthers and sickly sweet scent

9. Barn Swallow

  • This iconic bird makes a 6000 mile migration from Africa to breed in the UK, arriving with warmer weather and active exploration of potential nest sites
  • Latin Name: Hirundo rustica
  • Name: Barn comes from typically nesting in barns and out-houses, and the latin Hirundo means swallow
  • When to See: March to October
  • Where to See: Open country, perching on wires, and hunting low over grassland or water
  • Identifying Features: Blue-black; red forehead and throat; dark throat; long, pointed wings; deeply forked tail; agile flight
  • Range: Widespread across Britain

10. Common Bluebell

  • Over half of the world’s population of bluebells can be found in the UK, making for some incredible spring spectacles across Britain
  • Latin Name: Hyacinthoides non-scriptus
  • Name: Named for their distinctive flowers
  • When to See: March to June
  • Where to See: Carpeting woodlands, hedgerows, scrubland, on sea-cliffs and mountains
  • Identifying Features: Long, narrow green leaves; purple-blue bell-shaped flowers hanging from long stems; strong sweet scent
  • Range: Widespread across Britain

Nature Photos For 2022

/ Laura Tuke / Leave a comment

Last year was a very unpredictable year for all walks of life, but for me it was another fantastic year for wildlife, with some wild firsts and much inspiration to be taken from nature. With each new year, I take it as a fresh opportunity to enhance my skill as a wildlife photographer and to also immerse myself in the wildlife that can be found all around me. There is so much to celebrate in nature and so much beauty to be found, and 2022 did not disappoint in this. So to look back on the year, here’s a collection of photos spanning 2022, from my photographic adventures through to simply finding inspiration from nature in my life. Enjoy!

2022

January

The start to the year felt a little grey and bleak, but adventuring out with my camera I was able to find some life and activity in the landscape, which can always be found if you look closely enough. In this photo, this little blue tit looks so small, as they are, but I love how its bright colours pop out from its surroundings.

February

For me one of the joys of my year in 2022 was following the life of one particular oak tree and visiting it regularly to experience its annual cycle and those of the wildlife living within its close surroundings (check out my A Year In The Life Of An Oak Tree blog post).

March

One wildlife first for me in 2022 was discovering frog spawn for the first time in my family’s new pond in our conservation field. I enjoyed making multiple trips to this site at the beginning of spring to enjoy, explore the development of tadpoles and all its intricacies, and to take some cool photos.

April

Sometimes the most simple of subjects can be the most satisfying to photograph, showing a different side to their shape and form. Dandelions such as this one are a favourite of mine as they are a common sight, but have a hint of the magical when you look a little closer. This particular photo has also become a favourite with some of my friends and family.

May

This beautiful boy was a spontaneous joy to photograph and has inspired me to see the beauty in even the more common of inhabitants to be found in nature. All can inspire!

June

Last year was another fantastic year for camera trapping in my local area. From roe deer to fox cubs, I got to record some magical sights, including this wonderfully patterned British mammal and the antics of one particular family.

July

In summer, the countryside around my home in Dorset is alive with the scent and colour of many different species of wildflower, from meadowsweet and dog roses to bird’s-foot-trefoil and wild marjoram. Pictured here is the flower of the common mallow which can be found in a variety of habitats, in this case on a wild chalk mound.

August

Summer is a great time to see lots of weird and wonderful moths, including this red underwing, that will even venture into your garden and home at this time. With over 2500 species of moths in the UK alone, there are lots to discover!

September

Summer mornings waking up very early to go and take part in autumn migration bird ringing is made all the more better by fantastic sunrises, such as this one from September. That golden light over water is simply magical!

October

Though I do not celebrate Halloween myself, I have made it my annual tradition at the end of October to carve a pumpkin with a nature-themed design. The design for my 2022 pumpkin was the shapes of leaves of 5 different tree species, including oak, field maple and hazel.

November

November is a month that observes the end of autumn and the start of winter in Dorset, with greyer skies, shorter days, and the landscape falling into a slumbering state. As a result, a colourful sunset can really brighten up a less spectacular day at this time of year.

December

Though my family and I only have a small Christmas celebration each year, part of advent for me is making Christmas decorations using greenery and natural colourful plants (check out my How to… Bring Nature into Your Home at Christmas blog post for more). Here pictured are some of 2022’s Christmas decorations.

Spring In Photos 2022

/ Laura Tuke / 1 Comment

Spring this year has been a joyful and colourful experience. In 2020, spring was a lifeline during lockdown. In 2021, spring was a turbulent and unpredictable season, with some real wonderous moments to behold. This year though, I have simply enjoyed every moment that spring had to offer, watching as the season swelled into being and slipped out once again with the heat of the summer sun.

This spring the season began slower, but reached its peak quickly once it got going. In Dorset, from blossom and bursting leaves to nesting birds and breeding mammals, spring bloomed spectacularly, with so much new life on offer. During this time I made lots of adventures out with my camera and took many, many photos. Here are just a few of my favourites from spring 2022.

Spring 2022: In Photos

Sunset Damson Blossom – This year the blossom of fruiting trees was fantastic. Our damson tree blossomed without being bitten by frost or hit by strong winds, so hopefully it will be a good year for damsons

Lambing at Home – My mum has her own mini flock of Lleyn ewes, a Lleyn ram, and a Charolais ram, and for us spring would not be spring without lambs springing around the fields!

Horse Chestnut Flowers – Often tree flowers are simple, green and unassuming, but not those of horse chestnut trees. Horse chestnut flowers form a candelabra of fantastic white flowers with dots of pink and yellow, towering high in the boughs of the trees

Woodland Minibeasts – This year during the bluebell bloom, I focused on exploring the hidden life amongst the bluebells (check out my previous post for more). One of my finds during my hunts was this fly which looks to be a St. Mark’s fly. This fly gets its name due to emerging around St. Mark’s Day in April each year

Oak Flowers – Though horse chestnut flowers are showy, some tree flowers are fantastic in a subtler way. The flowers of English oak trees hang down in green streamers from their branches, looking pretty swaying softly in gentle spring breezes

Up Close With Stitchwort Flowers – Stitchwort flowers or ‘Shirt-buttons’ are white stars spotting the countryside throughout spring. Taking a closer look, this particular flower looks weird and wonderful with stamens that curl around each other

Super Snail – This white-lipped snail is a simple, but colourful individual amongst the green of spring. Their swirling shells are a great subject to photograph

Wild Cherry Blossom – Every year one of my favourite flowering trees is the Wild Cherry. There’s nothing like banches covered in blankets of white set against a bright green backdrop of new leaves

Fabulous First Frogspawn – In 2020, we started digging a pond in our own mini nature reserve at home on our farm. This year we were excited to find our very first frogspawn! It was amazing to watch the tadpoles change and transform over time

1 O’Clock, 2 O’Clock, Dandelion Clock – All children find magic and wonderment in dandelion clocks and their parachute seeds. Even as an adult I still find inspiration in their fragile globe-like forms

Majestic Beasts – My mum has her own herd of beef cross suckler cows and an Aberdeen angus bull that are free range and raise their own calves. We especially enjoy watching the calves grow up and grow into themselves over their very first year of life

Apple Blossom – As a family we have always enjoyed growing and foraging for our own food in our local area. Though last year was not a very good year for fruit, this year looks to be a better year, apples included

Woodland Spider – Just like the St. Mark’s fly, whilst exploring a woodland of bluebells, I found this species of orb-weaver spider. The bluebells were home to many, many of these little arachnids all weaving their webs between flowers, waiting to catch a meal

Beautiful Blackthorn Blossom – Every year one of my favourite parts of spring is blackthorn. The snow white flowers of blackthorn winter bring colour to the landscape at a time when things are still grey and spring is only just trickling in

Portland Pets – This year I spent some time photographing my neighbour’s pedigree Portland flock. These small sheep, topped off with curling horns, have a great character and warm colour to them which make it a joy to take their portraits again and again