Any Cuckoos?

Ladies smock, otherwise known as cuckoo flower because its flowering coincides with the arrival of the first cuckoos.  Its flowering is a sign of how early our Spring plants are in bloom this year as the first cuckoos do not usually arrive until early May.  Certainly I have not heard any yet this year.

Indeed, looking back at my blips from last year and I can see that the flowers in the garden are currently several weeks ahead of where they were this time a year ago.  It has been exceptionally warm.  In my blips last year it was only a week ago that my crocuses were in flower, they have been dead for weeks this year, even the daffodils are nearly over!  Last year my ariculas were in flower in early May, this year they are just coming into flower.  I find the timing of these natural cycles (phenology) and their influences fascinating.