Rainham Marshes

The songbirds and music makers we love are at risk of going silent. But we’re at a unique point in history, where we can shape a future where wildlife can thrive. Will you join us at the start of a conservation movement?

Just a quick post as it getting late.

The reserve is lovely and wet and is still covered in duck, geese, lapwings and snipe with a supporting cast of at least six Marsh Harriers, Buzzards, Peregrine and Short-eared Owls...

Have a good weekend!

Friday 11th January 2019

RSPB Rainham Marshes:- 37 Pintail, m Merlin, 3 Marsh Harrier, 2 Buzzard, Kestrel, Water Rail, 36 Avocet, 12 Curlew, 150 Black-Tailed Godwit, 293 Dunlin…

It's been a while...
We have a speaker...
Friday 1 February...

“How To Be An Urban Birder”
Want to know how to have the most fun and good times with your clothes on? Then let David Lindo aka The Urban Birder explain the intricacies of looking good whilst watching birds in urban areas. From using binoculars to finding a local patch to channelling The Force to find birds. David is confident that you will…

Just a quick update on the work that we are doing on site to maintain an area of boardwalk. We have created an alternative route so you will be able to complete a full circuit of the reserve. Over the next few weeks the team will be looking after a ...

We are looking for some people to help us go pond dipping with families during the school holidays and we have a role to help you start a career in outdoor education. We are recruiting for our 2019 Learning Assistant Volunteer Internship. Our struc...

We all #LoveMinsmere. But this amazing reserve could be under threat from a new nuclear power station.

Minsmere needs your help...
The Sizewell Estate, on the southern boundary of Minsmere, is where EDF plan to build a new nuclear power station, Sizewell C. This could be catastrophic for wildlife. The building work may increase erosion, upsetting the delicate balance of the reserve. It could affect the water levels in…

Just a quick reminder starting tomorrow, Monday 7 January, we will be working on maintaining an area of boardwalk.

We have created an alternative route so you will be able to complete a full circuit of the reserve.

Over the next few weeks the team will be looking after a section of the boardwalk near the woodland feeders - to make sure we can keep the full walk open a temporary alternative route will be available. The…

Friday 4th January 2019

• RSPB Rainham Marshes: Pink-footed Goose 2 Caspian Gull, 5 Little Egret, 25 Pintail, 41 Common Snipe, 5 Water Pipit, 5 Stonechat, 12 Rock Pipit, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Marsh Harrier, 60 Dunlin, 49 Jackdaw, 3 Fieldfare, 30 Redwing, Kestrel, 2 Peregrine, 2 Common Buzzard, 5 Cetti's Warbler, 42 Rook, 2 Sparrowhawk, 37 Stock Dove, Barn Owl, Water Rail, Ruff, Jack Snipe, 35 Avocet

Redwing…

Our bespoke woodland hide bird feeding station and reflection pool is available to hire on a half day or full day basis.

It has been designed to allow up to two photographers of any ability and equipment type to have the opportunity to get great images of the common species that frequent the woodland.

Greenfinches - Jo Collins

Full Day: 9.45am - 4.15pm Cost for hide: £35 non-members including reserve entry, £28 memb…

Starting next week, Monday 7 January, we will be working on maintaining an area of boardwalk.

We have created an alternative route so you will be able to complete a full circuit of the reserve.

Over the next few weeks the team will be looking after a section of the boardwalk near the woodland feeders - to make sure we can keep the full walk open a temporary alternative route will be available. The path will be about…

It was a little busy...

But there were birds too... in fact 85 species were recorded during the day...

Some highlights...

Tuesday 1st January 2019

RSPB Rainham Marshes:- m Merlin, Dark-bellied Brent Goose, 30 Pintail, Sparrowhawk, 4 Marsh Harrier, 2 Buzzard, 4 Water Rail, 22 Avocet, 6 Golden Plover, 9 Curlew, 70 Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, 20 Dunlin, 60 Snipe, 1w Caspian Gull, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 4 Stock Dove, Barn…

2018 is coming to an end with a dull, grey but bird filled day.  The marsh is nice and wet and covered in duck and Lapwings and the Marsh Harriers and Peregrines have been taking advantage of the various food options!

The Short-eared Owls were up and about today too at the end of the river wall and our usual winter specials of Bearded Tits, Water Pipits, Ruff and Redwings should all be available to kick start 2019 in just…

Sorry for the lack of posts but it has been a very busy few days on the reserve with people visiting to walk of the festive excesses!

And so, the last three days... some highlights

Saturday 29th December 2018

• RSPB Rainham Marshes; f Merlin, 38 Pintail, 122 Shoveler, 18 Tufted Duck, 32 Pochard, 1000 Wigeon, 37 Shelduck, 1000 Teal, 178 Greylag, 143 Canada Goose, 8 Black tailed Godwit, Ruff, 22 Avocet, 2 Curlew, 21 Snipe…

Just a quick post to remind you of our opening times over the Christmas period:

• We will close at 2pm on Christmas Eve
  
  
• The reserve will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day (this will include car park, visitor centre, main trails and river wall sections of the reserve).
  
  
• The reserve will be open as usual for the rest of the holiday period (meaning that we will be open on New Year's Eve and New Years Day) -  9.30…

One of our volunteers Yvonne is fascinated by invertebrates. During the summer she even had a brilliant display in the Purfleet hide about all the different shieldbugs. Shieldbugs are invertebrates that get their name form their scutellum (Latin fo...

Just to warn you - the following images may be disturbing, but it tells a fascinating story. Snipe have been showing well from the Purfleet hide recently. Snipe are fascinating medium sized wading bird (about 23-28 cm long), which short legs and a l...

At this time of year we not only have good duck and wader numbers around the reserve, but we also have some impressive skies - from gorgeous sunsets, beautiful sunrises, and recently some lovely rainbows - of course I had to share some wonderful pict...

Bob Cooper caught this fantastic set of pictures of a swan bathing the other day: Aren't they fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing Bob! Water to bathe in is important for birds, especially in winter. It is essential that they keep their fe...

Hello, I just wanted to let you know what is going on at Rainham Marshes over the seasonal period. Winter is a lovely place to explore the reserve throughout the year - get outdoors and enjoy a walk. Keep an eye out for large flocks of ducks like pi...

Here is a guest blog from Sim: December. The month that signals the end of the year, the month that signals winter has arrived and the month that signals Christmas is just around the corner! It’s the marmite month of the year, you either love i...

Now the upcoming story and images may be a little disturbing but there is a tale to tell.

A Bittern has been seen with some regularlity in front of the Ken Barrett Hide and as such there has been a steady stream of people sitting it out and waiting for their chance to become reality.

This has not actually happened since Saturday but Paul Richardson and Bryan Bland had a memorable if somewhat traumatising time in there…

The blog is back! Thank you for your patience while the blog went thought it's upgrade!

The short eared-owl has started showing nicely very early on in the day, and then coming out and flying near the Marshland Discovery Zone from about 2pm. We have seen two so far, so it's starting to build up sightings wise!

Short-eared owl by Stephen Lewington

Other birds of prey that we have seen recently include fantastic…

Good afternoon,

Barb, our Assistant Retail Manager is here today to tell you about a couple of offers in the shop, take it away Barb!

We have two fantastic offers for you in the Shop, running until Tuesday 26th November.

Not only is there 20% off all of our Suet Bumper Boxes, we also have 20% off our Nest Boxes.
Don't forget, you can also pick up your Christmas Cards and Wrapping Paper, and help us to give nature a home…

We have had a green wing tagged juvenile Marsh Harrier on the reserve since 10^th September but it took an age to get a good enough view of it to be able to read the black letters ZR on each wing.

The moment we read the letter - 10th October - David Element

With this information it did not take long to track down where it had come from via the BTO website.

It was ringed on the 3^rd June 2018 on Haddiscoe Marshes in…