Signs of spring in the snow

Only a few days ago I took some photos of beautiful crocuses in the nearby park. It was +13°C warm and spring was in the air…

And then suddenly the temperature plummeted. It was snowing sideways for about 24 hours and mayhem on the roads. Some poor souls had to spend the night in their car on the M23 as the motorway was completely blocked with cars and snow. And it was only -1°C!

I thought I’d take some photos in the park before the snow melts away again, and this is what I saw:

yellow crocus in snow

daffodils buds in snow

crocuses in snow

daffodils in the snow

I also saw some other signs of spring…

furry catkin of willow

And these things always fill me with horror… as I am allergic to tree pollen!

loads of catkins - tree pollen allergy

Looking more carefully at the trees, I spotted a robin!

puffed up robin in the winter

It was grooming himself and made himself really puffed up to create insulation with his feathers and air to cope with the cold. Then it started to sing for me.

Erithacus rubecula - robin singing in a tree

And then it was time to warm up again. Loved this funny pose it did for me.

Erithacus rubecula - robin puffed up in the winter cold