Re: "Of course, according to the meteorological calendar, springtime for the UK is way off — by at least a month". I once departed central USA to spend a much-needed couple of weeks resting back in the UK. I departed in the depths of winter only to find that, in the UK, spring was in full flower. When I got back to central USA, spring STILL hadn't happened - snow still lay on the ground. I guess latitude must have something to do with it. And the UK's maritime climate. And, maybe, more light pollution in the UK than on the plains of central USA?.