Looking out for Early Signs of Spring in February

February is the time of the year to start thinking once again about spring. Of course, the flowers that we usually associate with February are the beautiful blooms that we get for our beloved for valentines day from places like this Tewkesbury florist the Flower Shed, but if you are happy to brave the weather and get out and about now, you will also notice that the natural world is starting to spring into life.

Spotting the early signs of spring in the world is one of the best feelings – after a long and hard winter, seeing the emergence of new life, and the promise of warmer and sunnier days to come is a great tonic. Here are some of the early signs of the spring to look out for if you are going out for a walk…

Spring Flowers – Go to the woods at this time of the year, and you will likely see the beautiful white bobbing heads of the snowdrops. These jolly little flowers are one of the first to bloom at the end of the winter, and a great sign of the promise of the upcoming spring. They are hardy enough to withstand very cold temperatures and can be found in many woodlands and along grass verges at this time of the year.

You can also look out for the early daffodils – a sure sign of the lengthening days, with their sunny yellow heads, as well as the wood anemones which can be found in older woodland, and close up when there is any rain in the air – so look for these on a dry day!

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Trees – After spending the winter with bare branches, many trees are now starting to come back to life once again. Often the first tree that you will notice at this time of the year is the hazel. The catkins can be seen in February, before many other trees have any signs of new life. These are easy to spot hanging down from the branches in most woodlands and parks.

Another one to look out for is the ash tree – the distinctive buds can be seen on the tree at this time of year and appear as a deep velvety looking bud.

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Animal Activity – The animal kingdom is also re-awakening from its winter sleep. The birds are the first thing that you will notice. With spring just around the corner, birdsong increases, especially at day break. A walk in the woods at this time of the year is alive with the sounds of birds singing to attract a mate.

Early bumblebees and other insects may now also be emerging from their winter shelters and going on the hunt for food and looking for mates of their own. Foxes too will have just started to breed, and it won’t be long until you might be lucky enough to spot the young cubs playing near their home.