Is spring your favourite season? It’s when Mother Nature’s colours are brightest, birdsong is at its loudest, and the smells are fresh and exciting.

For the 11th year, peregrine falcons are nesting in the special compartment on Export House in Woking town centre. Five eggs have been laid and are being incubated. You can watch developments via the live nest box webcam at www.wokingperegrines.com.

If you love tulips, be sure to visit RHS Garden Wisley. The tulips displays were spectacular when I was there last week, especially beside the Jellicoe Canal (the rectangular pond with fountains): the mixtures of 10 varieties in shades of pink, purple, orange and yellow were stunning. See them before they’re over!

We’re at the height of the bluebell season, when many of Surrey’s woodlands are carpeted with deep blue.

Our native bluebell is one of Britain’s favourite wild flowers. I’ve written at length about these beautiful plants several times over the years I’ve been writing for the News & Mail, so won’t go into detail again except to point out the differences between our native bluebell and its insipid relative, the Spanish bluebell, which has escaped from gardens to become naturalised in many places.

Our native bluebell has a vivid blue colour, unlike the pale, purplish Spanish variety more commonly seen in gardens and verges.

Whereas almost all the flowers on the native bluebell are on one side of the stem and hang down causing it to droop, flowers on the Spanish bluebell are usually all around the stem, which is stiffer.

Another way to tell them apart is from the colour of their pollen: the native bluebell has creamy-white pollen while the Spanish variety has blue or pale green pollen.

One of the best places to see a magnificent bluebell display locally is at The Chantries (also known as Chantry Woods), near Guildford. It has 200 acres of mixed woodland covered with bluebells. I visited last week and the vast carpets of bluebells made a breathtaking sight.

The main footpath runs through the Chantries from east to west through the woodlands, but there are many other paths to explore. If you stroll through the meadows on the southern edge of The Chantries there are fantastic views overlooking Chilworth and for miles around.

The Chantries is served by two free car parks. One, at its western entrance, is off Pilgrims Way in Guildford (postcode GU4 8AD. what3words address: ledge.forgot.radio).

The other car park, on Halfpenny Lane, serves St Martha’s Hill and the North Downs Way as well as The Chantries at its eastern end (postcode GU4 8PZ, what3words address: shady.alien.cheek).

With those beautiful blue flowers still in mind, I must mention Surrey Wildlife Trust’s Nower Wood Bluebell Open Day on Sunday, 26 April. Nower Wood near Leatherhead is home to the trust’s education centre and is usually closed to the public,.

The open day is not only an opportunity to explore the private woodlands while they are bursting with blooms but also to enjoy nature-themed family activities including pond dipping, minibeast hunting, woodland play and marshmallow toasting.

There are morning and afternoon sessions starting at 10am and 1.30pm. The event is limited by car parking spaces, which must be booked in advance, so Surrey Wildlife Trust asks visitors to car share where possible.

For full details and to book visit surreywildlifetrust.org/events

Hurray: spring is here!