David

With paired leaf buds further down the stem.

The first set of ducklings I have spotted this season, last Thursday. The mother duck was cautiously keeping them by the other bank of the canal.

This tortoiseshell moved off very nervously when I tried to get slightly closer.

Blackthorn (sloe) bushes starting to flower early in April. The pictures here were taken of neighbouring bushes at the same time. One bush (above) was a mass of buds. The other must have been in a slightly more favoured spot, so the flowers were already out.

Catching the spring sun.

Plenty of flowers here, but it looks positively restrained compared to the Japanese cherry below.