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Yesterday, at the lake I felt a definite change, I'm not sure how to describe it precisely but I'll give it a go. Like most at this time of year, it was a dull, cloudy day with spells of light drizzle. It was not particularly warm with a persistant breeze at times. From the moment I got out of the car to open the gate, greeted by the call of an alarmed Woodpecker as it angrily beat its retreat from grubbing around on the track, i felt that the atmosphere had relaxed from the often hard felt grim mood of winter to one of expectation and hopefulness. Its as if a switch has been thrown, the plant and wildlife knowing that the worst had passed for another year.  You could sense that eveything was now eagerly anticipating the joy of spring

Things on first inspection didn't look any different. The oak and the ash looming above in skeletal form, their bare limbs like frozen lightning against the dull, grey sky as if to enforce the hard edged lines of winter.

I first noticed the catkins hanging from the branches on the edge of the wooded track.  The first seeds of life resembling the decorated festive trees from the winter passed.

As I walked around the top corner of the lake movement caught my eye, about fifteen foot from the bank a shadow moved. As I watched, to the left about two feet further out another shadowy leviathan came into focus. Over the next fifteen minutes I must have seen over thirty fish, they were not moving around with any great purpose and did not come to the surface, remaining about two feet below, I tried to get a photograph, unfortunately I was unable to produce anything that could be used in the poor light, just reflections of the flat, grey sky. Evidence that their long winter sleep is coming to an end, its the first fish I have seen since the lake froze over in December.

In little sheltered areas between the leaves still covering the ground from autumn, new life is forcing its beauty on the sparse landscape. The first daffodils are out just in time for St Davids day, and the new life is forcing its way above the surface of the lake.

Last years rushes are ready to open and the Pussy Willow is showing. With the promise of spring leading to glorious summer evenings, this for me is the most exciting time of year, all be it a busy one as well. Just a few short weeks left in which to cut back and prune areas and swims before the birds start building their nests. As the weeks go by there will be more and more plant and wildlife to photograph, I will do my best to capture as much of it as possible.