Spring has sprung! The blackthorn is blossoming, trees buds are unfurling, and daffodils and primroses are painting the landscape in vibrant hues. And the best part? I spotted my first bluebell today!
But keep your wellies on. April isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Showers abound, and the woods and fields are riddled with deep pools and gloopy mud patches just waiting to suck you in. It’s wet out there!
And while nature may be charging ahead, farmers are lagging behind. The soil is still damp and chilly, and the work of tending the land seems to be at a standstill.
To top it all off, the wind has been downright bitter, blowing in from the north and putting a damper on the cheery blooms. It’s enough to make you long for the days of March, when Robert Browning penned his famous ode to England in springtime.
Today is St. Tiburtius‘ Day, the day when the cuckoo traditionally returns. But alas, the bird has yet to make an appearance, lingering in Spain during a pit stop on its mega-flight from Africa1unavailable. 2023. ‘BTO – Website Currently Unavailable’, Bto.org <https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/cuckoo-tracking-project/about-project/updates-our-cuckoos> [accessed 14 April 2023].
All in all, it may not be a full-blown “blackthorn winter,” but it’s certainly a mixed bag of weather and wonder as we welcome the season of new beginnings.
- 1unavailable. 2023. ‘BTO – Website Currently Unavailable’, Bto.org <https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/cuckoo-tracking-project/about-project/updates-our-cuckoos> [accessed 14 April 2023]
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