Early Signs of Spring

Today in Brighton we experienced wall to wall sunshine with cloudless blue skies. Mind you, it was very cold with temperature not getting above 6ºC. It is a hard time for our wildlife particularly the birds that visit my garden, but there are definite signs that Spring is on its way.

I first recorded a male Blackcap in the garden on 26th January, since when it has been in the garden everyday, on the feeders.

He is a particularly aggressive so-and-so, attacking the Goldfinches that are regular visitors to the sunflower seed feeders.

Blackbirds both male and female have been in evidence for more than a week, feeding mostly on the ground. Yesterday, for the first time this year, I spotted a ChiffChaff flitting around the garden.

Like the Blackcap, more and more ChiffChaffs are now over-wintering in the UK, particularly in the South.

Yesterday also produced the first Dunnock sighting this year in the garden.

And the birds all appear to be very busy. A sign of the approaching Spring. I just hope that we can arrive at periods of more clement weather without any further spells of Winter!