The Woodland Trust (WT) believes that citizen science will build a picture of an early spring using Nature's calendar, their site for recording the varying seasons.
This winter's weather has, the WT said, reverted to the recent trend of warmer temperatures with only four air frosts in the central England temperature series (CET) during the last three months of 2011 compared to thirty five in 2010. Dr Kate Lewthwaite, project manager for Nature's Calendar believes that the appearance of daffodils and snowdrops during December and January is not uncommon due to global warming, but the evidence needs to be catalogued.
"Our native plants and trees are great indicators of wider changes in the natural world. By recording bud burst and flowers blooming the public can help us determine whether these changes are having a major effect on how Mother Nature functions," Dr Lewthwaite said.
In other words, when the public note down sightings of flowers, buds or even frogs spawn, the Woodland Trust can build up a database to assess the arrival of spring.
Already, not only flowers, but silver birch, oak and hazel trees' buds have been seen.
By tracking the opening of buds the WT will see if the seasons remain ahead throughout the year.
During January, signs of early flowering species like the snowdrop and lesser celandine are particularly useful.
Related: The Woodland Trusts Natures Calendar
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