February always feels to me like a taster course for the upcoming spring. The first bulbs pushing up through the cold soil, the first splashes of green breaking up the greys and browns of winter.

But this year, for me, those first signs of spring started to appear in December when I spotted my first flash of a bright yellow daffodil on a road verge. From there spring just kept coming, from my first primrose on New Years Day to the raucous dawn chorus that woke me up at the end of January.

Less clarity between the seasons seems to be a theme of recent years as temperatures rise with our changing climate, but what’s happening and what does that mean for our wildlife?

What does the science tell us?

If you’ve started to notice unusually early signs of spring then you’re not alone, research and observations are starting to reveal some of the changes that are happening in the UK.

A study done in 2022 found that a plant in 2019 would flower a full month earlier than the same species of plant in 1987 and the UK government biodiversity indicator suggests that spring arrives roughly 8 days earlier compared to historic data.

How does this impact wildlife?

Warmer weather earlier in the year can disrupt food chains. This is because different creatures adapt to changes in temperature at different rates.

For example, many birds have evolved to match their breeding season with the time when the highest number of caterpillars are available to feed their chicks. When warmer temperatures mean that butterfly and moth eggs hatch earlier, the birds, who are less able to adapt quickly to rising temperatures, will have less food available when their chicks are hungriest. The peak caterpillar numbers no longer coincide with when the chicks need the most food, which can result in less successful breeding seasons.

The warmer days could also result in insects coming out of hibernation before the worst of the weather has passed or before there are enough plants in flower to sustain them.  

The unpredictable nature and rapidity of climate change means that it’s hard for plants and animals to adapt quickly enough. But there are ways we can help.

What can you do to help?

Although we’re all delighted by the prospect of spring on the horizon, it’s worth pausing to think about how the seasons changed and how this year might compare to last year.

If you want to keep a closer eye on the signs of spring near you, why not try keeping a journal of the date you spot your first frogspawn, daffodils or orange tip butterfly?

There are also many ways that you can actively support your local wildlife as we head into spring.

If you have an outdoor space that you care for, why not try planting wildflowers? Native wildflowers will help provide habitat for insects and food for pollinators.

Putting up a bird box is a great way to support garden birds. They provide nesting sites and shelter from any late spring storms.

In early spring, hedgehogs will be coming out of hibernation and will be searching for food. You can provide specially made hedgehog food in your garden to help them regain their strength.

Spring is also a great time to provide nesting material for birds, useful materials include twigs, leaves, straw and feathers. Some birds, such as blackbirds, use mud to create their nests, so leaving a muddy patch by a pond can be beneficial.