The first yellow flowers have bloomed on hazel trees in the Netherlands, signaling an early arrival of spring, according to observations reported Sunday on the Vroege Vogels “fenolijn” program. Listeners to the program also reported the first egg laid by a pair of Turkish turtledoves, swarms of dance flies, nesting blue herons, singing blackbirds, and a harvestman spider spotted walking in the snow.
Perhaps most notable was the widespread sighting of migrating cranes, with numerous reports of the birds flying overhead. This early crane migration aligns with a trend observed by scientists, who note that warmer temperatures and shifting wind patterns are causing many bird species to begin their spring journeys sooner than in previous years. RTV Focus Zwolle reported on the cranes spotted above Zwolle, noting the phenomenon as an early start to the spring migration.
Mirjam Wiskerke, from Oudelande in the province of Zeeland, shared her excitement at hearing the song of a great thrush for the first time this winter. “I’ve been waiting all winter, no sign of life. And this morning I heard the bird for the first time. I am very happy!” she told Vroege Vogels. The great thrush’s song is similar to that of a blackbird, but louder and less varied.
In Nuland, Brabant, Mirjam vd Berg reported spotting three early-blooming daffodils, wild crocuses, and a lemon butterfly while cycling on a sunny afternoon. She noted that this is the earliest she has ever recorded a lemon butterfly sighting in her ongoing list, which dates back to 2007. The lemon butterfly is easily identified by its bright yellow color, with males exhibiting a more vibrant hue than females.
The Vroege Vogels fenolijn, accessible at 035-6711338, serves as a platform for citizen scientists to share their observations of the natural world. A photograph shared on the Vroege Vogels community site on October 6, 2025, showed a hazel tree in full autumn color, a precursor to the spring blooms now being reported.
