“Cracticus tibicen hypoleuca male domain” by JJ Harrison (jjharrison89@facebook.com) – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons.

Many people have various markers as to when spring has sprung. I have three, all of which have happened in the last couple of weeks:

1. Taking my gloves off while riding to work.
2. The smell of blood and bone fertiliser in the air.
3. Being swooped by a magpie, which happened to me yesterday in Chatham Road, Hamilton North, just in time for the official start of spring today.

Update

I’ve been checking every day, and right on cue, on the first day of spring my mulberry tree sprouted its first green leaf buds.