Welcome to spring!
Bill Meek tracks the early signs of the new season in Lincolnshire.
What is it, here in Lincolnshire, that signals the arrival of spring? For some, it is the first snowdrops or crocuses of the new year, although some plants of the new season are actually in bloom well before this – hazel catkins for example, and Winter heliotrope.
Remarkably, a full five months after the first snowdrop, spring is still making its presence felt as the last of our summer migrant birds completes its migration from Africa, arriving with us in mid-to-late May.
It is the UK’s “island” climate – that is with the moderating influence of the sea – which gives us such a long and drawn-out spring compared with some other parts of the world lying at the same latitude. With us, spring unfolds gently, allowing us to take delight at each new event over a relatively extended period.
In the northern hemisphere, spring travels from south to north, or here in the UK, from south-west to north-east. Sitting about a third of the way up the UK, we in Lincolnshire tend not to experience the very earliest signs of spring, nor, certainly, are we the last to get them, although our relatively cold, easterly location can slightly retard the progress of events.
Seasonal signs
Interestingly, studies show that spring now travels northwards more quickly than it once did. Historical data from 1891-1947 show spring on average managing only a relatively ponderous 1.2mph south to north, or 28 miles a day.
A more recent study by Nature’s Calendar found that the average speed of spring has increased to a relatively pacy 1.9mph, or 45 miles a day, so that it takes just three weeks for the north of Scotland to catch up with the English south-west.
Not all signs of spring advance northwards at the same speed. The bursting of green hawthorn leaves and the first sightings of a ladybird seem to positively race up-country – both at over 6mph.
The first hawthorn blossom sits right on the average at 1.9mph, while bursting leaf-buds of oak are slower, at a relatively ponderous 1.3mph. The first appearance of frogspawn in ponds and ditches is slower still; at 1mph it reaches northerly parts relatively late.
To complicate things further, there has been an increasing tendency in recent times towards earlier springs, said to provide evidence for global warming. While the vast majority of natural events now occur on average earlier than they once did, some, such as the arrival of the first cuckoo and the first swallow, remain resolutely unchanged. If this pattern also turns out to extend to other summer migrant birds, there is growing concern that their breeding cycles may fall out of sync with the peak abundance of insects, which they need to feed their young.
While every year is different, our Lincolnshire springs are undoubtedly trending earlier on average. The study of the timing of events in nature, including ‘firsts’ in spring, is called ‘phenology’ and is integral to the study of climate change. There are national schemes in which anyone can get involved.
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Experience Lincolnshire - our special supplement this month, we share many ways in which you can enjoy quality time with friends and family across the county during the holiday season. From attractions, to festivals and have-a-go sessions, there is plenty of inspiration to be found. To read the full feature, download our April issue now at www.lincolnshirelife.co.uk/product/experience-lincolnshire-2026 or pick up a copy in shops.