Blair writes
In early spring I have seen several trees which flower early with small
white petals. Is this am Almond tree?

Could be - almonds have pink or white cherry like blossom in early
spring before the leaves. But could also be a winter flowering cherry
Prunus subhirtella autumnalis, which has more scattered small pink or
white flowers all through winter, or blackthorn (sloe) which is more of
a large bush, with white flowers.

If it's an almond, you can often find, either on the tree or under it,
last year's almonds, looking rather like small flattened green peaches
(the almond it the 'stone' of the fruit).

If you're seeing them in rough ground, they're most likely to be sloes,
in gardens probably almonds at this time of year and winter flowering
cherry in January.
--
Kay