Mid April - Another attempt at The First Day of Spring

14th April 2013 - Today Spring has arrived at last.

The first Chiffchaffs have arrived and are now singing - a very welcome sound on the riverside. Only short  'chiff  chiff  chiff  chiff chiff' calls at first but the bird I was watching, perched in this willow, warmed by the sun, soon broke into the traditional song 'chiff chaff'  'chiff chaff'  then took off  to feed in characteristic chiffchaff mode moving rapidly from branch to branch around the willow, pecking at the catkins in the company of several blue tits.

Blackcaps too have arrived and are now singing after settling into their favourite habitat of thickets along the river, appearing more numerous than last year but probably just all arriving together after being delayed by the continuous freezing north winds. 

 The day was mild, breezy with hazy sunshine which brought out some 'early spring' wild flowers:

Lesser celandine shining through the old oak leaves under trees

on the river bank

Wood Anemone at the base of an old oak over the river - surviving

the repeated floods in the shelter of the massive roots.

with the muddy river flowing swiftly past, very high

for this time of the year.

The day also brought the first sighting SINCE one single sighting on March 5th this year of Comma butterflies - just one pair basking and chasing on the river bank nearby. They are hibernating butterflies which usually choose holes and bark in old trees to hibernate in over the winter, so they will usually be seen first close to the place where they spent the winter when they first emerge, basking in a sunny spot to gain energy.