Despite January being the wettest for over a century, this winter has so far been exceptionally mild with minimal frost and ice and signs of spring are everywhere.

There are reports of frogspawn being laid a month earlier than usual and birds have been seen carrying nesting materials. A problem arises if the weather finally turns wintry as that could kill spawn and affect birds eggs already laid.

Hazel catkins twitch in the breeze like new born lamb's tails as they suckle at their mothers. Some daffodils, aconites, lawn daisies and crocus are in flower and of course snowdrops or 'snow piercers'as country folk call them are in full bloom.

The photo shows a red admiral butterfly venturing briefly out of hibernation nectaring on a snowdrop, a rare sight as butterflies are less adept than bees at feeding from beneath pendulous blooms.

The red admiral surviving the winter so far is fortunate because wet winters are far more damaging than cold dry ones for hibernating insects and survival rates can be greatly reduced by prolonged damp mildew-inducing conditions.

Other signs of spring include plumage changes in black-headed gulls whereby some are beginning to sport full black, or actually dark brown heads; mallard ducks are paired up; squirrels furiously chase in courtship routines up, down and around tree trunks and most early mornings my local blackbird breaks into full song.

One benefit of wet winters means that where not actually under water,earthworms, which dive deep in frozen ground, have been readily available for badgers, foxes blackbirds and thrushes,their main diets.