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This weekend at Minsmere we are celebrating Spring on the Suffolk Coast. There’s free entry to the reserve, three guided walks per day, guides in hides and the chance to do a bit of pond dipping. What better reason can there be to come along?

Spring is definitely here now. Nightingales are singing all over the place, and more warblers are arriving by the day. The first swift was seen yesterday, and I heard my first cuckoo of the year on Wednesday.

I usually expect to hear the first cuckoo within a few days either side of St George’s Day, and this year I was able to celebrate England's national day with the evocative song of this declining summer visitor.

With eleven booming bitterns, an incredible 18 marsh harrier nests, almost 200 avocets on the Scrape, and the sweet coconut scent of the flowering gorse, spring is very definitely sprung. There should be many chances to take a photograph to enter into our ‘Magic of Minsmere’ competition.

It will be a busy weekend though, as I’m also leading a walk at Snape Maltings in advance of the annual RSPB Spring Concert at this famous concert hall on Saturday.

Wherever you are this weekend, get out and celebrate spring with us.

At last I’m mobile again, and back at Minsmere. I’ve missed a selection of rarities, including bluethroat, red-rumped swallow and purple heron, as well as the early summer visitors.

But it’s not all been bad news as the train journey from Lowestoft to Norwich proved to be excellent for birdwatching. I’ve never seen so many barn owls or Chinese water deer as over the month, plus regular marsh harriers, displaying lapwings and redshanks, and even my first swallow!

Here at Minsmere, spring has definitely arrived, despite the cooler weather. More migrants have been arriving by the day, with the first nightingales over the last couple of days, plenty of swallows and martins, and even an osprey.

I’m looking forward to getting out to look for them later today. It’ll be more of a challenge on Saturday though when I’m coming in to lead the first dawn chorus guided walk of the year. (Sorry, they’re all fully booked for this year.)

Minsmere in spring is a special place to be. We’ve recently launched a photographic competition to celebrate the magic of Minsmere. We’ll short-list the best photos and display them in the tearoom for visitors to select the winner. There will be prizes for the best adult and junior entries. Photos must be taken at Minsmere, and entry forms are available at the reception desk. I’m looking forward to seeing the entries, which I’m sure will reflect the magic of Minsmere. So get snapping and send us your entry.

Enjoy the spring. I know I will.