Signs of spring #1 - the coming of the coots

After a winter of wind, rain and very little frost, Spring creeps up on you. The snowdrops suffered from no snow: they're designed to poke their heads delicately through frosted grass, rather than droop wearily in sludge, weighed down and prematurely aged by the storms. For me, one of the regular signs of the season is the arrival of the coots on the pond. Late February, whatever the weather, a pair appear, ready to hold court through the breeding season. Last year was a miserable year for them. Two birds arrived but one mysteriously vanished soon after, leaving a mourning mate. For several weeks it called pitifully and plaintively before giving up and leaving. This year two more coots are now in residence, already busy with nest building. Yes, they're bullies: the ducks have already retreated and the moorhens, who enjoyed the run of the grass last year, will once again get slim pickings. But they're also characters, and they let me know that Spring is nearly here.