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Spring makes a grand entrance

Rachael Garside Rachael Garside | 09:42 UK time, Thursday, 22 March 2012

It's a sure sign that spring is on the way when the fields start filling up with new-born lambs.

Tuesday was officially the first day of spring, and I spent part of it with the area warden for the National Trust in Carmarthenshire, Wyn Davies.

Wyn admits this is his favourite time of the year, and walking around Dinefwr Park near Llandeilo this morning, it was easy to see and hear, why.

'It's the birdsong that immediately makes me realise spring is here' says Wyn, and it's worth getting up early to hear the dawn chorus at the moment.'

'This morning I heard a green woodpecker hammering away at a tree and you can clearly see that many birds are starting to think about nesting now.'

Snowdrops are beginning to make way for primroses which are already out in abundance and the woodland is a carpet of green, signalling the arrival within the next couple of weeks of the bluebells.

Chestnut trees are beginning to bud and there's a real sense that new life is being created.

white park cattle

White park cattle

We also made our way to the field in front of the main house at Dinefwr to see some more new arrivals, the famous White Park cattle, native to Dinefwr, have already produced 6 calves, four pure white and two coloured black and white.

This suggests that somewhere along the line, possibly hundreds of years ago, a black bull was used whose genes are still present in the blood.

There's evidence that White Park Cattle were here in the 10th century and are mentioned in the laws of Hywel Dda.

Today, one of the cows was guarding the circle of new calves while the rest of the herd were grazing nearby.

Wyn also pointed out the crows landing on the cows backs, picking at the loose hairs of the the cattle's winter coats, providing perfect insulation for their nests.

Nature has a way of making sure nothing goes to waste.In the deer park, the fallow deer (first introduced here by the Normans), are getting ready to shed their antlers, while the does begin to think about producing their young.

As a warden, Wyn is busy making sure the footpaths and fences are ready for Easter visitors.

As nature wakes up, it's well worth taking the time to notice the arrival of a new season.

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