Sightings of blackbirds have been rare because of the cold weather.
The late arrival of spring could hit hibernating creatures hard, conservationists have warned.
The cold weather has led to a significant drop in sightings of early spring wildlife compared with last year, according to reports received from the public by the Woodland Trust’s Nature’s Calendar recording scheme.
Sightings of the common seven-spot ladybird and the peacock butterfly have been notably sparse in the North of England and in Scotland compared with 2012.
And records of tree budburst are lagging behind other years, the Woodland Trust said.
There are also few records of blackbirds building nests in the Midlands and the North, and frog tadpoles have mostly only been spotted in the South West.
Last year the mild weather between January and March led to some exceptionally early sightings of wildlife but this year’s continuing cold conditions have delayed the emergence of many creatures and plants
