UK Experiences Earliest Spring on Record with Early Bird and Butterfly Sightings
The United Kingdom is witnessing what could be its earliest recorded spring, marked by early sightings of birds, butterflies, and flowering plants. According to The Guardian, citizen science data from Nature's Calendar indicates that events such as frogspawn laying, blackbird nesting, and hazel flowering are occurring earlier than ever before. This trend is attributed to a relatively warm winter and one of the wettest Januaries on record, coupled with Britain's joint 10th warmest March. The first orange-tip butterfly was spotted on 18 March, earlier than the typical emergence date of 16 April. The Woodland Trust, which runs Nature's Calendar, has been collecting data on seasonal changes since 2000, highlighting a consistent trend of earlier springs.