A few things I've noticed of late:

• Butterflies abound, of many species, but orange tips are particularly noticeable.
• The cherry blossom has been and gone in a scant couple of weeks. It was blowing down the road today like snow as strong winds whipped in ahead of the storms (which never actually came).
• Wasps are bigger than I remember. Or is it just queens building their new nests?
• It's been ridiculously hot and dry and looks set to stay that way for a little while.
• I've seen lots of frogspawn but that's gone and I don't see any tadpoles.
• Spiders are everywhere in the last couple of weeks – in the house, in the garden, many varieties, big and small.
• A lot of the birdlife in the garden has faded away in favour of quarrelling sparrows.