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Welcome to March. Given the weather this week, it’s hard to believe it’s the start of the meteorological spring! Great times are coming. But first, it’s time to look back at the winter just past. It’s was a proper winter, with significant spells of snow and frost. The coldest winter, locally at least, came right at the start and, by the second week in December, temperatures were struggling to get above freezing. Heavy snow fell in Essex,Kent,London and Sussex in the evening of the 11th, with about 6 inches, 15CM in my garden and, with snow cover and clearing skies, some notable temperatures were recorded the following week, doing immense damage to sub-tropical plants in gardens. -11C was recorded near Stansted mid week. A few days later, -13 was recorded at Writtle, near Chelmsford. It was remarkable that many trees still had autumn leaves during this period. A visit to Kent that week was most scenic.

By the end of December, the snow had cleared, and a day at Slimbridge was most enjoyable. January had a very wet first two weeks,but almost nothing after. It was also sunnier than average. February is Snowdrops month, and by then temperatures had risen above average. Very little rain fell locally during the month, so I could wear walking boots, rather than wellingtons, to Welford Park. I also went to Collesbourne Park, my first visit to this excellent late-winter garden for several years. Lastly, there were very few Fieldfares around this winter, but plenty of Redwings, and the abundant hawthorn berries kept them well fed during the severe weather.

Cracking shots Essex - it looks like everything is ready to go it's just the weather holding the start of the season back

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Beautiful images, Mark. Those late winter flowers are always a joy. Normally, they're a reassuring pre-cursor to spring but things seem to have got stuck this month.

Thanks everyone. Yes, it looks like we’re going to have to wait a little bit longer this year!

Well, early spring has simply been an extension of winter so far, with snow, frost and plenty of rain. But the signs of spring are clear to see. From late February onwards, the Myrobalan plum has come into blossom, although some of it has been damaged by the frost and snow. Often mistaken for Blackthorn, it grows slightly taller, and flowers a month earlier. A form of this tree is called Nigra, and has a rather sparse but quite long lasting crop of glorious pink flowers. The leaves that follow are red-brown. The local daffodils have started to open this week, later than last year.

Cracking contrasting images Essex Hopefully things might start to get going son - it's been a very slow start to the season

Have a goodun

Wurzel

essexbuzzard wrote: ↑Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:50 pm...Often mistaken for Blackthorn, it grows slightly taller, and flowers a month earlier.

Had me fooled, Mark. Certainly looks very like blackthorn, although there's precious little of that round my way at the moment.

At last! Although rather cold, Monday was the brightest day since February! The sun is getting much stronger now, and it was just enough tempt this Comma out of hibernation. This time last year there were half a dozen in this spot in my local woods, but this year, this one was all I could manage. Not surprising, to be honest!

Pleased for you Mark, still not seen a Comma or Small Tort.
With this weather it's hard to comprehend what should be on the wing in only a few weeks time.

Still, chin up!
Trevor.

Great looking Comma Essex Things are definitely running a little behind schedule this year hopefully that'll mean a butterfly bonanza in a week or two

Have a goodun

Wurzel

Thanks Neil and Wurzel. Yes, the weather this month has been absolutely dreadful. Sunshine has been very deficient, and the rain has been seemingly endless. Indeed my garden was flooded this evening when I got home, though not the house, thankfully. But surely the first warm, sunny spells of the year can’t be far away now. Can they?

essexbuzzard wrote: ↑Fri Mar 31, 2023 6:51 pm...But surely the first warm, sunny spells of the year can’t be far away now. Can they?

Imminent, Mark...if we believe the forecasters.

I think in a week's time we'll all feel a lot better.

Welcome to April. March was very wet, with some places recording three times the average rainfall. Indeed, parts of East Anglia received more rain in March than in the whole winter! Meanwhile, sunshine was very deficient, with just half the average. The river Roding, pictured here, is lined with nettle beds. It’s just as well the nymphalids are late emerging this year, as their breeding grounds are under their, somewhere!

Loving your posts on this page Mark especially the first 2 entries and emphasis on the weather and the contrasts. It is a fitting reminder of what butterflies and other wildhave have to cope with. Just wish I'd thought to do it as it so easy to forget year on year. I do remember June 2012 however as it was so wet and rained every day here.

Hi Pauline, welcome back!

Despite reasonable spells of sunshine on Sunday, a walk to my local hotspot produced just three Small Tortoiseshell and three Peacock. Both species seemed to suffer in last years drought. Tortoiseshells in particular, appear to benefit from warm, wet summers such as 2021, and also after 2012. Although the weather has improved, it remains a poor start to the season here. The Peacocks are making the most of the glorious flowering blackthorn, which is excellent this year!

Lovely to see the Small Torts Essex M local patches have had fewer this year as well but I don't know how much of that is down to them 'just getting on with things' on those days when it was just about right but I couldn't/didn't go out? Hopefully there'll be a bit of a bounce back in the summer brood

Have a goodun

Wurzel

This is quite a diary page, Mark - snow, floods, birds, blossom, bulbs and now butterflies!

Good to see they're finally active round your way.

Thanks Wurzel. Let’s hope so. The nettles are certainly lush this spring, with all the rain we’re having...

Thanks David. It remains tough going round these parts.

There has been no let up in the weather, with cloud, rain, and a bit of wind thrown in for good measure. So imagine my surprise, and delight, when I found this beauty on Saturday! This came right out of the blue, as we’ve had another wet week. Temperatures remain low, too- the highest temperature I’ve recorded so far this year is only 15C.

Stunning markings on that Orange-tip Essex I can't work out whether the black is really black or the orange is paler than usual-either way makes it stand out

Have a goodun

Wurzel

essexbuzzard wrote: ↑Tue Apr 18, 2023 8:03 pm...imagine my surprise, and delight, when I found this beauty on Saturday

As surprises go, that's a particularly welcome one, Mark.

Been largely the same in south Wales - cool, cloudy, windy and never better than 14c.

Now I'm in Spain I hope I won't see such temperatures till I return home (and even then they surely can't dip below 12c again?)