can anyone tell me what plant this is??

Looks like a hardy cyclamen - probably hederifolium or coum. What you are looking at are the seed capsules.

Great! It means that if you leave it alone, you'll get more next year...:-)

I agree with Wagger. Should flower end summer/autumn.

...or possibly late winter/early spring, depending on which Cyclamen it is.

I happened to be looking at a cyclamen seed pod when it shed its seed and the "coil" behind the seed pod suddenly uncoild and sent the seeds flying.
Nature sure is wonderful

I'd love to have seen that, Bren - talk about good timing, unless you were trying to collect the seed.