Spring spread more slowly across UK in 2016 – Woodland Trust

Spawning frogs, arrival of swallows and first oak leaves took four weeks rather than three to spread from south to north

Signs of a British spring including spawning frogs, the arrival of migrating swallows and the first leaves on oak trees took a week longer to spread across the UK this year than in the last two decades, according to nature watchers.

A mild winter saw spring flowers out earlier than usual, and signs of spring such as hawthorn leafing and red admiral butterflies on the wing on Christmas Day.