Following on from my post the other week about what other birds tackle the reedmace heads we have our first non-avian addition to the list! Up until recently we have only really ever seen Harvest Mice on the reserve after one of our big high tides but during the last cold snap they have been seen by several visitors clambering around in the reeds. On sunday at least two were seen, photographed and videod clambering around…

The Stone barges are situated on the foreshore at the west end of the site and are the remains of one of the unused Mulberry Harbours that were created for the D-Day landings in 1944. They have always been home to wintering Rock and Water Pipits and act as an important roost site for local Redshanks, Black-tailed Godwits and Dunlin.

Dunlin coming into roost (James Astley)

One of five Water Pipits on the Barges this…

Our little Stonechats are still out there and a male followed us along the river wall yesterday morning, keeping pace with us and probably looking to see if our 'herd' disturbed any semi-frozen insect life!

(Ben Green)

(James Astley)

On everyone of the last five Kids Birdwatching Club days we have been very fortunate to catch up with the Bearded Tits. This time was no exception and we found this obliging pair destroying reedmace and then skating about on the ice after the dropped seeds. Quite comical! It was so cold yesterday that they were super-fluffy; looking for all the world like little orange pom-poms on a lolly stick.

Images by James…

Hi all... just a quick not to let you know that the guided walk with David lindo and myself on Sunday March 25 is now fully booked. Hopefully we can arrange some more walks later in the year

Morning all... just a quick heads up if you were coming down for the Gull ID Day this morning. The site is frozen solid and with no open water the gulls are not using the marsh for batheing and so we are effectively gull-less. However it is a gorgous day for a walk so hopefully you will not be too disappointed.

Pintail really is my favourite in all ways feathery! They are elegant and sophisticated, possessing a certain grace lacking in the more gregarious species. Listen hard when you have a mixed dabbling duck flock in front and you will be able to pick out the croaking quack of Gadwall, the 'plib, plib' of Teal, the whistling of the Wigeon (who all go' teal' if you listen!) and there amongst them the almost liquid 'ploop'…

With the predator proof fence going live and crackly today the wardening team along with a host of volunteers and other staff systematically swept (and no I do not mean with a brush!) the whole of Aveley Marsh inside the fence with the aim of flushing out any Foxes that were still lurking inside.  Seems to have gone very well and two foxes were encouraged to move beyond the fence. However, if you see a fox on the inside…

Brenda got some video of the cute little Slavonian Grebes yesterday.  they took shelter in the calm waters at the mouth of the Mar Dyke and allowed a pretty close approach. Dave McGough also got some more great shots! They were not around today but the Goosander was still to be seen. Was not in today so not much more to offer I'm afraid!

www.youtube.com/watch

It has been bitterly cold all day today with a biting wind and the threat of snow but the flat light meant good visibility and we decided to gead along the river wall for the entirety of the walk rather than the loop around the trails. It proved most fortuitous as the Thames was alive with birds and with the marsh being frozen it meant that all the duck were on the river and showing well.  Not long after we headed out…

Plenty of wader action along the ice free shoreline today with 13 Grey Plover, 14 Ringed Plover, a single Avocet and a couple of Curlew amongst the usual host of Dunlin and Lapwings. Quiet on the trails as all the pools are almost frozen solid but lots of small birds about including several Stonechats, many Reed Buntings and Goldfinches and even a few hardy Wrens. The Fieldfares are still much in evidence and Chris Packham…

A glorious morning with no wind, bright sunshine and the rabid host of Fieldfares still roving around the centre in the search of berries. They have discovered our pyracanthas in the car park this morning and have even been down on the foreshore.

Purfleet Scrape (Mark Hart)

Chaffinch fluffed up and waiting for breakfast (Mark Hart)

I received the very sad news last night that Gordon Allison, the warden of our Elmley Reserve in North Kent died suddenly yesterday morning. He was a great birder, always a good laugh and will be sorely missed within the RSPB and the greater brding community. No longer will I be able to find something special for him at Northward Hill on the annual countryside fair. I hope Tony Morris does not mind me using this picture…

Clive Watts captured this delightful sequence of a Robin singing quietly in the woodland with several pauses to discord idigestible seed husks! Quick cough and thenon with the tune!

www.youtube.com/watch

The second shorter film higlights all that coughing including some inglorious slo-mo!

www.youtube.com/watch

Our little Pied Wagtails have already been back today for their daily feast of mealworms. Two pair are now squabbling over who has feeding rights!

(Dawn Cowan)

Some nice early morning images against a grey river, grey sky and watery sun.

All images by me

With a slight overnight thaw it became possible to gain access to the car park this morning and it was already apparent that Fieldfares and Redwings had been drawn into the area to feastv on the reamianing hawthorn and ivy berries. Over 500 of the former and about 150 Redwing were around the car park in noisy chacking flocks. Along the foreshore nearly 40 Skylarks were looking for seeds with many Starlings, three Corn…

With the change in the weather, it is seed eaters like finches and Reed Buntings that manage to cope as they will readily come to food supplies made available by us humans! Insect eaters have a harder time of it though, as what ever live food is left is often killed off or becomes even harder to find. Some like Pied Wagtails, Wren and Robins are adaptable and are happy for our hand outs but the little Stonchats are more…

And so our cold 'snap' arrives. Already more small birds are appearing at home in the garden and around the three feeding stations on the reserve. Even the Pied Wagtails have become regular visitors just outside the shop window as they scuttle around on clockwork legs looking for the dried mealworms that Annie has put out for them!  Finch numbers are going up and I would not be surprised to see a Brambling wit…

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Clive Watts was a most fortunate chap yesterday when this Harvest Mouse clambered up a red stem in front of him to feed. Very jealous indeed!

www.youtube.com/watch

With an icy blast from the north and east we have seen a steady increase in Redwing numbers this week with upwards of 60 or so around the woodland for much of the day. There are not that many berries left on the hawthorns which may become a problem but they have already been investigating the Ivy which is still heavily laden with fruit. Most morning this week I have seen about 60 Fieldfare on my way in but only a handful…