Spring watch

Not the popular UK TV programme, but a volunteer group called "Spring Sentinels" who have been reporting early signs of spring to the local Midi Pyrenees PETR (an organisation of local government to collect and diffuse information on climate change).
Participants report first sightings (or bird calls) of 10 indicators. These include the first swallows, cuckoo, cowslips, hazel catkins, ladybirds (the 7 point variety), oak buds, vine shoots, yellow butterfly, pyramid orchids and green frogs.
Not all of these appear early in the spring, but it is useful to mark the progress of the season as it seems to be getting earlier each year.

Cowslips: primavere coucou

No doubt readers will have seen hazel trees with their pendulous flower clusters for some time now and we noticed some cowslips this morning. Pyramid orchids will not appear until late April/May, but there are other earlier varieties to look for from mid-March.
This link is to the very interesting report on the activities of the Sentinels in 2018.
http://www.midi-quercy.fr/IMG/pdf/-14.pdf

Weather v Climate

Glorious weather we are enjoying, but the high pressure and absence of wind has led to excessive levels of air pollution in many parts of France. The pollution is caused by fine particles emitted by vehicles and industry and has decided several prefectures to announce speed restrictions. In Occitanie the department of Hautes Pyrenees has imposed a 20kph reduction in speed limits on the A64. Around Paris similar restrictions are in force.
Friday evening saw the latest manifestation of young people, mainly students, in various cities to protest at governments' lack of action to combat climate change. The movement has been inspired by a Swedish woman Greta Thunberg who has been picketing the Swedish parliament every Friday. Around one thousand young people attended the rally in Paris. Organisers claim their actions have been over-shadowed by other "social protests", but that global warming is the most important issue facing their generation.