The technique has already been used successfully elsewhere and it's hoped that this will allow the squirrels to move safely between trees without the need to traverse busy roads. A number of deaths have already occurred over the last 18 months.

More on this story on BBC Local NW.

Related links:
Friends of the Anglesey Red Squirrels
The Red Squirrel Survival Trust

1 April was the first day of the Date With Nature (DWN) campaign at Vyrnwy.

The peregrines have nested on the cliffs at the northern end of Lake for nearly 30 years and have been almost entirely successful throughout that time.

However, there was no sign of them towards the end of March and Gary, the DWN Officer, was beginning to think he was part of an elaborate April Fools joke. Then, right on cue, the peregrines arrived.

However, as with all things in life, there have been a few setbacks. A second pair of peregrines arrived in the shape of a juvenile male and a mature female which caused unrest in the camp.

Battles began at the beginning of April, with both pairs fighting for territory on the cliff side but as the days wore on, it seemed that age and experience would prevail.

The adult pair have now settled on the cliff side and we are hoping for a nest pretty soon, so watch this space.

The lakeside hide, has become home to both staff and volunteers monitoring the peregrine's nest who are on site to talk visitors through the triumphs and tribulations of these beautiful birds.

A sunset view of the lake from Springwatch 2009. Image by Martin Aaron:

Visitors have been lucky enough to see them on hunting sprees, stooping at speeds in excess of 150 mph and striking their prey in mid air.

It is not just peregrines stealing the limelight either. On 2 April, the lake's illusive osprey swooped down over the water where it's been spotted regularly.

One of the resident otters also popped its head up and swam right in front of the hide too - much to the delight of the visitors.

Other migrants that have made their way back to Vyrnwy include ring ouzel, redstarts, pied flycatchers and willow warblers.

A pied flycatcher:

Warden Jim reports: "Goshawks are looking promising this year and crossbills are here in high numbers and breeding well but chiffchaff numbers are a little low."

Black Grouse counts are now under way with the monitoring of hen harrier and merlin following closely behind. Fingers crossed on all counts!

You can follow the team on Facebook or Twitter under 'RSPB Lake Vyrnwy'.

Gull

You can understand why they may be topping popularity polls, as not only do they look good with that sleek waterproof coat and slinky tail, but any animal that loves to play as much as they do and can lie on their backs whilst having a spot to eat, gets my vote.

In the scheme of things how is old rabbit going to compete with the skills and thrills of Lutra lutra? (Yep, even their Latin name sounds cool!)

The publication of the chart in this month's BBC Wildlife magazine was quite apt really as only last week I had a message that some otters were being reintroduced to the wild after a period of rehabilitation.

I soon learnt that these had been wild otters, one of them ending up in care after a run-in with a dog. Furthermore these same individuals featured in one of BBC Wales wildlife expert Iolo Williams's programmes as cubs.

So after a few phone calls I met up with local volunteer Laura Jones at a secret location in Mid Wales. It seems that otters are indeed sprinkled with a bit of star quality - complete with celeb liaisons, secret locations and even a stretch in rehab!

I've tried to see and record otters a few times but have only seen them from afar or ended up with my nose next to some otter spraints (droppings). The good news is that after many years of persecution and decline they are coming back and one even turned up in Cardiff Bay recently. Indeed, a local wildlife professional told me that he reckons every river in Wales now has otters.

Laura has spent many years looking after otters and rehabilitating them back into the wild. This involves a period of time in care with minimal human contact before being moved to a temporary enclosure near some suitable habitat. Here they're slowly acclimatised and gently reintroduced, ultimately to a point when they are allowed to roam out of the enclosure and fend for themselves back in the wild.

Any chance of seeing the otters, even in the temporary enclosure, is extremely minimal, as they rightly avoid humans and stay in their holt until dusk when they then come out to feed. It was a pleasure, however, to speak to Laura about otters and learn and see for myself how with the help and tireless effort of her and the other volunteers they can be reintroduced.

So, stood near to the electric fence of the enclosure chatting to Laura (probably about how much water was in my wellies) I jumped when she suddenly gestured "look" and blinkin' 'eck (or something similar). There was an otter right in front of me!

Now Laura had been visiting the site for at least a week and hadn't seen them so this was extremely lucky. This was special and for the next five minutes or so the otter went about its business without a care in the world. Finally I was able to see one with my own eyes.

Fishermen have often told me that sometimes they come right up to you if you are still enough, but none until now had given me the time of day.

It was fascinating to see them being inquisitive, playful and with that unmistakeable body built for swimming. I think having seen one of the newly crowned celebs of the mammal world up close and personal, it would be rude not to give them the nod as my favourite too.

Lastly, many thanks to Laura and she'll update us on how the two otters get on.

Do you agree with the list and the otter as Britain's favourite mammal?
Answers on a postcard - or probably easier to post a comment below! Who's going to fight the corner of the short tailed vole then?

The BBC Wildlife magazine's top 10:

Otter
Hedgehog
Badger
Fox
Squirrel
Deer
Mouse
Dolphin
Stoat
Bats

A few links:

View BBC Wales' top otter clips.

Check out the cutest baby otter clip ever.

Why otters are great on the Guardian website.

Otters on BBC Wild About Nature - for kids.

The list of British mammals at www.wildaboutbritain.com, also has a vibrant forum.

Events

Sea Trust/Stena Dolphin-othon - a marathon dolphin survey from Saturday 30 August to Friday 5 September
www.seatrust.org

Beardyman And The Mimics - BBC Radio 4, 10.30am, Saturday 30 August. A spot of self-publicity here, but check out this programme I was involved in making with two amazing mimics, the lyrebird and 'Beardyman', Britain's foremost beatboxer.

Looking at the rivers it's amazing to think that all the life in them doesn't get washed away in the brown soup marching downstream, but the fish and other creatures are able to somehow find eddies and spots to shelter as it passes.

In fact one species which welcomes the high water is the migrating salmon.

The high water is a green light for them to swim up river from the sea and lower reaches as it gives them enough water to pass waterfalls and other obstacles in their way.

On the Wye, which is one of the longest rivers in the UK, they have reached as far as Builth Wells and make this journey in impressive time if the conditions are right.

Although fish aren't exactly the most charismatic of creatures I still think they are pretty amazing considering the epic nature of their return journey to the place of their birth.

Coal rivers

I went down Big Pit this weekend and it reminded me how the wildlife in the coal mining valleys has bounced back since the time of the coal industry.

In the valley where I live (where Pochin Colliery was situated), we have otters, ravens, peregrines, trout, dippers and kingfishers; the list goes on, and this is only really a few decades after the colliery closed.

In fact, I was talking to a local this week about how he used to fish in the river. He would "time it" for the periods when the river wasn't black because of colliery lorries driving through it!

When this happened he would simply reel in, have a cup of tea and wait till it cleared before starting to fish again.

I hope the weather gets better; fingers crossed but it has made for a few rainbows as you can see from this week's picture.