The Catkins are here!

 

More signs of Spring here where the Catkins are out.

Catkins are long, slim, often drooping clusters of tiny, wind-pollinated, petal-less flowers found on trees such as hazel, birch, oak, and willow. Appearing in winter and spring, these "lamb’s tails" are actually the male flowers releasing pollen to female flowers. They are crucial for early-season pollination before leaves appear.

Mid Winter

 It's that time of year as the catkins come out as I noticed between this rain and snow ridden January had emerged while walking about yesterday morning dodging the puddles telling us it's mid winter.

It's all coming out

 

The recent warmer spot brought out the catkins  around here that don't tend to have a particulary long season.

A sign it's only a couple of weeks to go to Spring, the daffodil's are starting to come up joined by some more flowers and given the semi seclude nature of this spot, I did use fill in flash.

Catkins!

We're now into February and while rain is expected today unlike northern England which is scheduled to have snow

Some indication of the topsy-turvy weather we've been having are these catkins I spotted while I was out a few days ago, something that year after year heralded the impending arrival of spring.  

Also we've had the Robin's, Hedge Sparrows and Finches out both in the woods and also around residential properties.