It's that time of year when birds leave us and birds arrive, everything getting ready for the breeding season, so here are some highlights from the last week or two?

Arrivals, chiff chaff here by the end of March, lesser spotted woodpeckers out drumming in the woodland edge too.

Pied flycatchers and redstart first seen just over a week ago along with willow warbler as well. Great visibility at the moment as the leaves are still reluctant to open out.

Sedge warbler on the 16th April and lots of views of ospreys mainly from paths and hides over looking the river and salt marsh, though yesterday morning one seen flying over the pools in front of the Visitor Centre.

And last week one captured on camera on a post on the lowland wet grassland area.

Other sightings have included otters and stoats on the blue route.

Brimstone butterflies seen last week on a lovely sunny day.

The Greenland white fronted geese finally left last weekend and due to the tags we know they arrived in Iceland yesterday (Monday 16th April) on their way back to breeding grounds in Greenland.

Both lapwing and red shank are busy with nests on the wetland areas too.