Where has spring gone?

It is hard to believe that this time last year there were bumblebees and ladybirds in the garden and along the river there was almost an abundance of water voles 
Instead this year it seems to be a never ending winter, with snow on successive weekends,  temperatures in single digits and the river looking bleak and desolate, with few signs of life.
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Once again the meadow is flooded and an opportunist heron looking for any displaced amphibians, fish or water voles
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Although water vole sightings are infrequent - maybe because it's too cold to spend a long time looking for them - they are starting to become more active as this latrine shows:

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And other signs that this isn't winter, just a very cold spring, is a solitary flowering daffodil.
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The Judas Ear

The seemingly never ending rain (and sometimes snow) has reduced the opportunities for a favourite of this blog - watching water voles.

But the dampness has produced other things of interest, such as this fungal fruiting body growing on a dead tree near Radley Lakes in North-East Abingdon.

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Before scientific classification it was known the Judas Ear - because it looks like an ear and because one it's preferred habitats is the elder - the tree from which it was believed Judas Iscariot hanged himself:
The common name was subsequently changed to the politically incorrect Jews Ear, which is reflected in it's scientific name: - Auricularia auricla-judae
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More recent field guides now refer to it by a more politically acceptable and probably more accurate name of Jelly Ear 
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Whatever the chosen name, it is an impressive sight, even if it is one of the most common fungi found in Britain.

Siskins

Among the usual visitors to the bird feeders in our garden - blue tits, chaffinches, goldfinches and the occasional greenfinch - there is a bird that we have not seen for over five years - siskins:
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Siskins are migratory birds and so these will have chosen to spend the winter in south, usually eating tree seeds,  before returning to their breeding areas of Northern Britain or Europe.

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However, this year seed availability has been lower the average and they have been attracted to garden feeders (in our case, sunflower hearts) in record numbers, with the BTO recording the highest influx of siskins into gardens since 1998.