Yes, I know that springly isn't a word but I like it!
It's that interesting time of year when you never know what you will find here at Rainham Marshes.
The Lapwings in their swirly aerial display, Warblers are singing away, the Hirundines are whizzing over on the hunt for prey...
And the minibeasts are starting to show off! (Which by the way, if you are interested in minibeasts we have some fabulous events coming up - we have an Insect Afternoon on 9 May getting you up close to the smaller creatures that live here at Rainham... click the link above for more details)
The butterflies are starting to flit around finding the early blooms...
Peacocks, Green Veined Whites, and Brimstones are showing (picture by Lawrence Rogers),
as well as a mix of Shield Bugs (Dock Shield Bug by Lawrence Rogers)
The Cordite Store is usually a good place to spot a lot of different minibeasts - it's a nice shelters area with lots of different plants, so make sure you're keeping your eyes pealed...
You could find:
Alder Fly (Lawrence Rogers)
Weevils (Lawrence Rogers)
Or maybe even
Spiders (Tony O'Brien)
There are even some early damselflies! (Andy Wragg)
Do let us know what you see when you visit!