Spring is in the air

Daylight is stretching now and the promise of spring is upon us. Catkins blow in the breeze as they disperse their pollen, and celandines push skywards. Frogs and toads fill our ponds with their croaking calls, as their breeding season reaches its peak. Bird cherry blossom is a welcome sight for pollinating insects, and butterflies, like the green-veined white and pearl-bordered fritillary, take to the air. Golden plover make their way to our high tops, to be joined by migrant birds like wheatear. Leaf buds burst to reveal orange leaves, devoid of the chlorophyll that turns them into summer green. Yellowhammers sing from hedgerows "a little bit of bread and no cheese" whilst below, hedgehogs stir from their winter slumber.