Although the reserve is still closed to visitors, we want to help bring the site and its wonderful wildlife into your homes.

I was lucky enough to be on the reserve earlier today, undertaking essential work in line with government guidance. Raptors were very in much in evidence, with a pair of peregrine over Aveley Marsh, marsh harriers were very active, a single of both buzzard and kestrel, and then a red kite over the entrance as I was leaving. Migrants included c30 sand martin over the Aveley Flash, 3 swallow, c15 singing and displaying sedge warbler, a displaying whitethroat, a lesser whitethroat singing from the hedge near the visitor centre and 4 wheatear were looking very smart near the dragonfly pool – one was perched on top of the submarine tower.

 Amongst plenty of sitting lapwing and calling redshank, our first brood of lapwing chicks was seen, on the ‘ouzel fields’.

Other recent sightings that I know of from the reserve, reported by people taking their local and daily exercise along the riverwall, have included willow warbler, whinchat, great-white egret and spoonbill.

The path-sides were full of hoary cress, as is typical for this time of year.

With spring now well on its way, there is plenty of wildlife to be seen, even from back gardens and windows. Keep looking skywards and you might see passing swallows, or buzzards and sparrowhawks circling, or if you're lucky, a red kite - this is a good time of year for seeing raptors on the move.