Spring’s here. And it’s early

Wednesday 23rd March 2011, 9:35AM GMT.

A spring daffodil, by Noriel Arcigal

Spring has arrived much earlier than last year, according to sightings of nature recorded by the nation’s amateur snappers.

The Woodland Trust, which runs the Nature’s Calendar project that allows the public to report signs of the seasons across the country, said this year was following the recent trend for early springs.

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Hawthorns are leafing, blackthorns flowering and there have been hundreds of sightings of frogspawn, according to the calendar which helps experts gain an accurate picture of how temperature changes are affecting nature.

The Woodland Trust said that by this time last year 71 records of hawthorns leafing had been received, but online records so far this year have already exceeded 180.

The harsh weather suffered by the UK in December meant the early signs of spring, such as snowdrops, were delayed.

But last month, Tim Sparks, of the University of Cambridge and founder of Nature’s Calendar, predicted that temperatures in January meant it was unlikely the rest of spring would be late – and because the season had been held up, events could unfold rapidly.

Today he said the latest evidence from public sightings showed spring was “rapidly under way”.

“It’s rushing forward now, everything is desperate to become active, plants, birds and insects are all making rapid progress.”

He said the spring was much earlier than last year because the last few months have not been cold, whereas in 2010, January and February were cold.”

View more: Spring news.