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I think I tempted fate by mentioning the ’Beast from the East’ in my last column.

What a month February turned out to be. Mother nature put on quite the show, kicking off with rain, then the cold with extremely sharp and hard frosts, then came some snow and to finish we had a mix of strong winds and sunshine.

February fatigue is setting in and the novelty of our well-oiled winter routine has worn off – turnout cannot come fast enough.

With spring happily just round the corner, we will be so glad to see the end of one of the wettest and coldest winter I can remember – and I am now 63 and as far as I am aware do not suffer from memory loss.

It seems to be the time of year for surveys. I have done the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Big Farmland Bird Count, noting that bird numbers are down.

When it is mild and wet all winter, all I can think is that a bit of cold, dry weather would do just fine.

All eyes have turned to the weather. A deluge of late January rain has left lagoons full, not quite bursting, so forecasts of drier weather should allow lagoon emptying across the region.

Sometimes a small idea can turn into something special.

January has been a testing month so far; with heavy rainfall, sharp frosts and even the odd attempt at snow.

February already. Time flies while you are having fun, or the older you get, the more time flies.