Today was Wetlands Bird Survey day so we were out by 6. It was dull to start with but brightened up later. There was a very cold wind which felt unseasonable but the signs of Spring were all there in the vegetation- plenty of that lime-coloured green as the buds burst. On the woodland floor, the plants were taking advantage of the light before the canopy grew dense. There were bluebells, celandine, stitchwort, wood sorrel, and forget-me-not. On the bird front there were swallows, blackcap and chiffchaff but no sign yet of common sandpipers