Lesser Celandine, the First Woodland Flowers

OUR AIM IS TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE HABITAT IT PROVIDES FOR WILDLIFE ALONG THE RIVERSIDE 

Our February Meet was held on 27th -  a cold start but fine weather all day, with a dry SE breeze.

The sun had brought out the first flowers of the Lesser Celandine, well known to have traditionally been a welcome sign of spring in woodland for hundreds of years - and this year was no different with the first sign of sun in late February awakening the plants which are fortunately spreading steadily along the river banks and verges. 

Lesser Celandine bursting through the thick layers of last autumn's leaves

on 27th February 2022

Many birds were very active, with Robins singing in their territories everywhere.

Goldfinches were also singing loudly along the riverside walk but were less visible

in the thickets. With the flowers came the Bumblebees, Bombus terrestris.

This Bumblebee (Buff-tailed bumblebee), together with Bombus lucorum 

(White-tailed bumblebee) are usually the only bumblebees to appear as early as February.

We were lucky as the rest of the week was cloudy and damp, spring was on hold.