The last day of February, wildlife adapts to the north wind. A few redwing are still with us, waiting now for a favourable wind from the south west to speed them on their migration. Winter migrant blackcaps were last seen feeding here in mid-February when the weather was just right for the journey back but larger migrants obviously decided to stay longer.
Today the riverside thickets and trees were full of song again, a song thrush singing strongly close to a tree full of singing goldfinches joined by starlings.
but other signs of spring are now appearing:
The first flowers of the Lesser Celandine are shining amongst last years fallen leaves
and Snowdrops are flourishing where just a few days ago the river banks were bare stalks, mud and fast-flowing water.
Although the chill factor of the north wind is well below freezing, the sun, when it appears, has more strength and warms the sheltered river banks for longer at this time of the year which encourages growth and flowering. Insects emerge and find nectar and the river water begins to warm up, rousing the aquatic life on the river bed.
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