Springing into Springtime
There’s a change in the air on outdoor walks. Now the storms are over, the most biting winds seem to have lapsed and the days are noticeably sunnier. Nature is stirring and springing into spring.
Wild plum blossom on the Heath
The Gregorian calendar dictates that the 20th of March is the first day of spring, but nature does things more fluidly. A Myrobalum plum above the Hive has frothed into white blossom, and the fuzzy namesake catkins of pussy willow are bursting forth. These goad the huge thrumming queen bumblebees, awakened from underground hibernation by the warming soil and seeking nest sites as well as this early nectar sustenance. You may even spot a sulphur yellow spirit flitting through the air- an early Brimstone butterfly sprung from winter slumber amongst ivy.
A Brimstone butterfly at rest.
The first flowers are bright too. Profusions of multi-coloured crocuses in the heath’s gardens attract photographers, but the gleaming buttercup-yellow Lesser celandines in wooded banks are just as joyous. More delicate perhaps are the first white Wood Anemones, their pure blooms marking the most ancient woodland sites. Dandelions and daisies are popping up in grasslands, adding dashes of sunny yellow to the green.
Wood anemones in the sphagnum bog at Kenwood
A quiet moment can reveal that spring is quite literally in the air, as birdsong drifts to our ears. The melodious, carrying tune of the Song Thrush is joined by the fruity notes of Blackbirds, the reedy whistling of Dunnocks and if you’re lucky, the repetitive calls of an early migrant Chiffchaff. Great-spotted Woodpeckers drum to proclaim their territory and the ever-vocal parakeets can be seen claiming their tree nest holes already.
Great- spotted Woodpecker (c) Liz Andrew
A more obscure song burbles from the ponds on Sandy Heath and the Hill Garden, where the frogs are spawning. Toads are undertaking their migrations to the main pond chains at night, unseen except to the Heath’s most nocturnal walkers and amphibian enthusiasts. During the day, coots ferry sticks to their chosen nest piles in the water and swans and grebes may be seen dancing to each other, affirming their pair bonds through imitating choreography.
A pair of toads on their way to a breeding pond on the Heath. Photographed by Bob Dowd.
The reawakening of life in spring has brought joy through the generations. This is a lovely time of year for tuning into the rhythms of nature and grounding ourselves in the face of human life’s stresses. Hampstead Heath and Highgate Wood both provide a wonderful setting for this as a retreat from the surrounding city. The practice of forest bathing can provide an even more immersive and relaxing experience. You can join us this spring for nature-based activities to relax or lift the mood or get in touch to organise your own outing on the Heath in the spring sunshine.
