A green sandpiper has been spotted foraging in the wetlands. Out on the loch, a drake lesser scaup has been seen and a pair of great-crested grebe are parading four chicks on the flood.

A pair of scaup are swimming off the reserve shoreline on Loch Leven. A little grebe can be seen on the flood from the Carden Hide where shoveler have joined the other duck varieties.

Hundreds of tufted duck have gathered on the flood where a black-tailed godwit has been feeding on the fringes. Up on the hill, there have been sightings of two spotted flycatchers.

  Laurie Campbell (rspb-images.com)

Large numbers of swifts are wheeling and feeding over the loch where mute cygnets are making their first ventures out into open water.

  Danny Green (rspb-images.com)

A peregrine falcon spent around half an hour feeding this morning, offering terrific views from the cafe telescopes. There have also been sightings of a female marsh harrier and there are recently fledged tree sparrows in various parts of the reserve.

  Steve Round (rspb-images.com)

There is plenty of duck activity on the flood, with excellent views afforded from the Carden Hide. Shoveler (pictured), tufted and pochard are all there in good numbers, while great-crested grebes are in abundance on the loch.

 David Tipling (rspb-images.com)

Six baby blue tits have been born and are in full view of our cafe nest-cam. Out on the reserve, broods of greylag goslings and mute cygnets are making their first ventures out on to the loch.

 Chris Lloyd (rspb-images.com)

Swallow activity has reached frenetic proportions as nests are built in almost every nook and cranny offered by the centre buildings. Visitors are having to take some evasive action as pairs seek out their favourite spots. Pochard have paired up on the flood and a whimbrel has been seen from the Carden hide.

There have been excellent sightings from all the hides of a female marsh harrier quartering the reserve. Ringed plover have also been spotted on the wetlands and great interest is being offered by an attentive blue tit and her clutch of seven eggs on nest-cam.

  Niall Benvie (rspb-images.com)

 Duck and wader activity was restricted when a dog otter put in an appearance on the flood this week. Out on the loch, there are two broods of greylag goslings and four barnacle geese are nesting on St Serf's island.

 Garden warbler, Chris Knights (rspb-images.com)

Whimbrel and dunlin are in evidence out on the wetlands. Closer to the centre, the first garden warbler of the season has been seen. Blackcaps are in the trees around the picnic area and a tree pipit has been observed on the hilltop.

 Whitethroat, Richard Brooks (rspb-images.com)

More spring visitors continue to arrive and a whitethroat has been spotted around the centre. An elusive grasshopper warbler has been heard (but not seen) and a solitary male scaup is out on the loch.

    David Tipling (rspb-images.com)

The first swifts of the season have been seen over the loch and a wood sandpiper and whimbrel observed on the wetland. Ospreys continue to make regular visits and the tawny owlets can still be spotted around the garden and low woodlands.

  Mark Hamblin (rspb-images.com)

Pairs of shelduck (above) are evident across the lagoons opposite the viewing room. With an increasing number of lapwing nests being recorded, hopes are rising for a better breeding season. Goldeneye and tufted duck are in Vane bay.

      Nigel Blake (rspb-images.com)

A yellow wagtail (above), only the second recorded sighting at Vane, has been seen following in the tracks of grazing cattle. Wheatear have also been spotted on the wetland edges and a pair of great-crested grebes are nesting on the flood.

Numbers of swallows have been growing as they check out their usual nesting haunts around the reserve. A female marsh harrier - pictured, Ernie Janes (rspb-images.com) - had to take refuge in the trees on the lochside after being mobbed by crows. Three juvenile tawny owls have now been spotted roosting in trees close to the centre.

A juvenile tawny owl (pictured, Andy Hay, rspb-images.com), is perched high in a tree and easily visible from the car park path. Out on the loch, there have been several sightings of osprey and a black-tailed godwit in early spring plumage on the flood.

Meadow pipit and skylark have been seen over the wetlands where displaying redshank and snipe Ipicture by Mark Hamblin (rspb-images.com) are also in evidence. A more unusual sighting over the coutryard today was a brown long-eared bat who circled for several minutes in bright afternoon sunshine.

Pairs of mute swans are preparing their nests for the breeding season. A flock of wigeon has gathered in the lagoons and the first swallows of the season have begun to appear.

The first real signs of spring are evident across the reserve - and by the increasing number of visitors to the popular cafe and visitor centre. To cope with "demand", we've increased the numbers of tables and chairs for visitors. Great views and delicious snacks - there's never been a better time to pay us a visit.

Great-crested grebes are performing their wonderful dancing rituals on the flood. Sightings of sand martins and house martins are becoming more regular and lapwing are displaying around the reserve, with two nests confirmed so far. Duck varieties are growing - notably gadwall, shoveler and wigeon.