Any signs of spring?

[Sparkle]

Yes, the clematis, lilacs, wisteria and mexican orange flowers are all in abundance making the garden smell delightful - but not heard a cuckoo yet.

[Veem]

All of the above, plus hawthorn (red and white), honeywort, lily of the valley, stitchwort, red campion, bluebell, cowslip, greater celandine, asphodel, rose Twister Select. Not forgetting what must be a record-breaking number of dandelions. We've had what resembles a snowstorm of dandelion seeds for days. We've also heard, in addition to all the usual suspects (or rather Merlin heard on our behalf) a black woodpecker.

[Polly]

Quite a few of the above, but those I’m most pleased to see are the snake's head fritillaries, which pop up in various places each year, so always a surprise, and the very large numbers of violets this year - difficult to avoid walking on them on the lawn nearest the house. They are in the gravel at the front of the house too, but never any at all on the far lawn, much damper due to underground streams and tougher grass I suppose.

We’ve also had a lot of dandelions anywhere we’ve been recently. I quite like them in the wild but really don’t want them in my garden; any that have grown from drifting dandelion clocks I remove, though on the verge at the front of the house they try to hide, growing very low.

[exile]

Delighted to find the early purple orchid that appeared in the lawn - well more accurately, irregularly mown meadow - last year is back.

I made a particular effort to not mow just there last year and have marked the spot to ensure that it does not get mown this.
The daffodils are just going over and the tulips are in full flower. Our small patch of snakes head fritillary continue, although the conditions are ideal for them. Wood anenome in blue and white are both in flower and our ail des ours (wild garlic) is about to flower.
Unfortunately our spreading Rosemary seems to be dying with many branches looking dead. I am not sure if it can be saved but I will leave it a while. Maybe I can get a cutting from the bits that are still alive.

[Headers]

2 slightly strange signs.

A massive swarm of bees flew past me and down the garden into the woods yesterday

A forgeron got very agitated as I was getting into my car yesterday. Turns out it was starting to build a nest in the air cooler intake of OH’s Patrol. They did it last year in the radiator but we didnt realise till it was too late. We had to hoover all the bits out and then I covered it with an old sheet.

[demi]

Saw swifts for the first tim this year, yeasterday.

What is a forgeron? The only translation I can find is blacksmith..............??

[exile]

https://www.alamyimages.fr/forgeron-lap ... archtype=0

Vanellus armatus.

I had to look it up and it's in none of my books. Also known as forgeron d'afrique a search of which got me no further forward than a lot of dark coloured blacksmiths.

I think it must be an occasional migrant given the problems in finding it in books or on the internet but that is a guess since I can find no written description.

[Headers]

Saw swifts for the first tim this year, yeasterday.

What is a forgeron? The only translation I can find is blacksmith..............??

the little bird with a red under tail but called the blacksmith in these ere parts

[Polly]

I was totally stuck on forgeron too.

My favourite bird in France in spring is the rougequeue noir, which nested under tiles on the roof of our neighbour’s apartment. I loved watching the young birds hesitating and finally taking wing, encouraged by adults. We were on the second floor(top floor)so had a close up view from our balcony; a special memory is of one falling gracefully into a large pot of flowers, later encouraged to take off.

I’ve just brought in a vase of lily of the valley, well in advance of May 1st, which is when I first saw them being sold in Paris many years ago.

[exile]

Saw swifts for the first tim this year, yeasterday.

What is a forgeron? The only translation I can find is blacksmith..............??

the little bird with a red under tail but called the blacksmith in these ere parts

I think that is what we call a black redstart.

And yes they do nest in some strange places.


When were were renovating the barn, we noticed black redstarts flying in and out of the upper floor via the only access - a round window that had been removed awaiting a replacement. Venturing upstairs quietly we noted they were flying in and out of a niche in the wall where the roof timbers had been before we raised the roof. While both were out we snuck in to view the nest and the young. To our amazement there was a single huge chick - a cuckoo.

So a double surprise, first that the redstarts would venture into the middle of a building and second that a cuckoo would follow.