Early spring?

Usually, when people talk about how this year's warm, El Nino-fueled winter is causing plants to sprout up early, I'm a little skeptical. Spring is always early around here. The first tulip shoots show up around New Year's Day. It's just that, when the weather is warm and nice, more people are out to notice the new growth.
But then I noticed the coltsfoot appearing.

Compare this to my picture of the same coltsfoot patch on March 4, 2009. It's further along, but not 24 days further along.