In February we gradually start to see the quiet transformation from winter to spring - the days get a little longer, birds become more vocal and our earliest flowering plants begin to burst into bloom, providing much-anticipated splashes of colour. These early hints of spring remind us that the season is just around the corner, even if we are still in the throes of winter’s chill.

Tree vital signs

Buds are formed in late summer and early autumn, but we tend to notice them more when the leaves are off the trees and they start to swell on bare branches, showing that they are getting ready to put out new leaves or flowers. Some Elder bushes have bud burst already, and female flowers on Hazel will be visible now, white blossom on Cherry Plum might start to appear towards the end of the month. The white blossom and early flowering time means this shrub is often mistaken for Blackthorn, but tends to flower earlier - its young twigs are green rather than black and they also lack thorns. From a distance, willow trees develop a yellowy-green tinge as catkins begin to flower. Look closely at the trees in your neighbourhood, the local park, or on our nature reserves for those first signs of spring.

Long-tailed Tit nest gathering

The tiny Long-tailed Tit is found in hedgerows, woodland, parks and gardens, and this month it will be busy collecting materials to make its nest in the fork of a tree or a bush - moss, lichen and feathers will all contribute. Identify it by looking out for that long tail – black and white and longer than its body. A pretty pale pink back and belly, alongside black and white plumage will help you to confirm a sighting. Our nature reserves Astonbury Wood, near Stevenage, and Gobions Wood, near Potters Bar, would be a good places to look for them.

Winter gnats

These small flies don’t hide away in winter, you can often see them glistening in the low light of late afternoon sun, swarming together as if they are dancing in the air. In addition to the normal compound eyes on the side of their heads, these creatures have very simple eyes on the apex of their heads, which are very sensitive to light, which probably come in very useful on dark February days! Often, they can be seen in place where there is an abundance of decaying matter – woodland sites, such as our Balls Wood Nature Reserve, in Hertford Heath, and the wooded northern section of our Hertford Heath Nature Reserve, for example, or look for them together in a cloud overhead of a compost pile.

Catkins

Catkins serve as reproductive structures for certain trees and shrubs, playing a key role in their pollination process. Willows are well known for their early silvery, furry catkins, which appear before the tree produces it’s leaves. Alder trees, often found in wet woodland habitats develop small, reddish brown catkins. Both of these can be found at Amwell Nature Reserve, or visit Danemead Nature Reserve to check out the willows there. The yellow catkins found on Hazel trees, often referred to as ‘lambs tails’ add a splash of colour in February, at a time when the countryside can look a bit barren – seek them out at our Old Park Wood or Aldbury Nowers nature reserves.

Early frogspawn

Depending on where you are and what the weather conditions have been like, frogspawn can be found in ponds, ditches and other shallow water from February onwards. Shady ponds with lots of reeds and vegetation around them are most popular with the Common Frog and the best places to look for frogspawn – seek its jelly-like consistency just below the water’s surface. As with all wildlife, please do not disturb frogspawn or move it to another location as this can impair chances of survival and risk spreading disease.

Colt’s-foot

If you are in search of a ray of sunshine, look out for Colt’s-foot – this is one of the earliest flowers to show and is a ‘weed’ of waste ground and field edges that really brightens up early spring with it’s bright-yellow flower head. You might be mistaken for thinking it’s a Common Dandelion but look more closely and you will see it has a prominent round middle that will help you to identify it.

Stargazing on a clear, frosty night

It may be chilly but cold air makes for clear viewing when it comes to stargazing. As it is still getting dark early, this is an activity the whole family can take part in this month - all you need to do to enjoy it is to look up! For the best stargazing experience, you may wish to take a trip to a high spot where light pollution is minimal.

If you can’t wait for spring, why not plan projects now which will help you to get the most out of the new season? We’ve plenty of ideas to help you, from making a mini pond, to planting a butterfly garden, from creating a log shelter to making a bird box, and plenty more besides here.