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Adrian Thomas did us proud with his feature on RSPB nature reserves in the Spring 2012 issue of Birds . I hope you will be inspired to make a trip to a reserve you haven’t explored yet, or to revisit an old favourite or two over the next few weeks. We want you to don your outdoor gear, put on...

I wonder who woke up feeling like this grey seal yesterday? It's one of thousands of great photos in our RSPB Images library . Although this particular seal may be nursing a sore head, it's actually a great time to get out and see grey seals right now. They'll be hauling out onto the...

During the last two weeks I have boldly gone to the outer edges of the reserve in my quest for new civilisations! Lurking in one of the dark recesses of the men's toilet I found a large house spider , and on the ceiling a daddy-long-legs spider . There are hundreds of fungi in the wooded area, the...

Finding new species is getting a lot harder, so I've really got to keep concentrating and take any opportunities that happen along. As the leaves have started to fall from the trees along the entrance road there is now a much better view of the adjacent farmland and because of this I was able to...

I've had another really good fortnight with the list climbing to 886 . All of the new species, except one, could be described as creepy-crawlies! They included a twin-lobed horsefly ( chrysops relictus ) which, with it's dark-banded wings and vivid green eyes, didn't look like your normal...

Last Thursday morning I had a phonecall from one of our volunteers to say that some of our neighbours cows had been on the main path the evening before. I thanked him for the call and as I was just about to head out for a lagoon count, I would check to see is they were still out. By the time I had got...

Recently I recorded a short piece for BBC’s One Show on beach litter. The main part of the feature was provided, quite properly, by Marine Conservation Society who are keen to promote their excellent work on this issue. I was there to talk specifically about birds. A short walk along the strand...

Not only have we been enjoying the early spring warmth but is has been a great period for insects. Down on the beach in the last couple of days we have been seeing this cracking beast - the dune tiger beetle ( Cicindela maritima). This beetle is one of the rarest species that occurs on the reserve...

The wind has finally swung back to the south west and the sun is shining bright. Despite a thin layer of volcanic dust in the atmosphere the direct sunlight is enough to get the lizards out basking. After hibernating during the winter months common lizards are ready to emerge and begin their life cycle...

Young pelicans sharing a sandy beach. Great to get close to these pre-historic looking wild animals.

beach

Stood on the beach at Cley, my tripod vibrating in the wind as I scraped snow from the lens of my scope, jacket hood closed to leave just enough space for my binocular lenses, all to get a view of a single glaucous gull. Realisation: I'm a birder!

Walking along a narrow path, t'wards grassy sand dunes and sparkling silver sea, my happy, sunny thoughts are echoed by the - stirring song of a skylark - a speck of black soaring in the bright-blue sky -so high above - uplifting, joyful, ecstatic

I love beaches and being there made me feel special for many reasons.

We visited Hilbre Island, watched the sea birds, turned away from them,they all started to make an awful noise and fly in the air,we turned back just in time to see a perigrine nose dive down, grab one of them and fly up the beach to eat his meal

Though there are gulls on the beach at Jurmala (Latvia), crows are just as common, but the strong wind leaves them more ruffled. This chap was not at all amused - either by the weather or having his picture taken.

Newly hatched and struggling to haul itself into the surf, this little fella was smaller than my hand. It amazes me that it will grow into a 2m giant! I hope that this fragile creature, is still struggling on and swimming gracefully through the ocean

I stand on the beach and the blizzard of snow buntings swirls past me on the sea breeze. Keep still, don't breathe, don't make a sound. Suddenly they're flying towards me and then they're at my feet, looking at me. A big moment with a small bird.