TURN  OF  THE  SEASONS The winter of 2009/2010 will go down as being one of the harshest, with severe icy conditions and snow that hung around for a long time, and all the intermittent snow storms that followed, right through until March. Then if it wasn’t snowing we had lashings of rain, so what with the snow melt and rain the ground was so waterlogged with the dykes full to overflowing. I was beginning to think that spring would never come. However, the birds were optimistic, and I saw all their courting, kiss chases and nest building in between the snow showers, so that gave me hope! Now spring has sprung, and although later than the last couple of years, the beautiful spring flowers are now in full bloom, brightening our days, and bringing colour into our drab gardens. Everywhere seems to be coming alive, and I am just waiting to see my first butterfly of the season, and my first migrant bird arrival. I will be at the wood hoping to see and hear the Chiff Chaff, the first of the migrants to arrive. Do let us know when you see your first arrivals. Rosemary Roach Sept 2010