Things actually started to pick up in the last hour this afternoon with five Swallow and three Sand Martins moving quickly though followed by the most welcome sight of five Yellow Wagtails glowing like vibrant buttercups as they fed around the feet of the cattle along the old Haul Road. A great feeling despite the cold and gloomy weather. The fact that I was watching them through my scope from the visitor centre on te…

A short while ago we noticed that a group of lads had materialised in teh Adventure Playground.  Not all teenagers and they definitely did not come through the centre... one appeared to be up on the old MoD Bunker, pacing up and down like some caged animal!

So off we go to investigate, best diplomatic, non-confrontational hats on. We arrive to find ten lads from a Chelmsford based Free Running Parkour group called Team…

Very unspring like today but the pair of Garganey played ball for once and showed very well right out in the middle of Aveley Pools. Brian and Ruth then doubled their luck with a bobbing Jack Snipe before adding a Whimbrel and four Wheatears to the list. A most excellent morning's work despite the weather.

All I have managed is a Sand Martin seen from inside the centre!

Drake Garganey (Brian Churches)

7-4-12

The male Kestrel has been showing off, hovering for just long enough for people to catch it in the art of windhovering. You can see the head staying incredibly still while the wings beat out their hovering rhythem. If you look closely you can see the magic alula on the join of the forewing that helps keep it in the right spot! Keep your eyes pealed!

7-4-12

Some great shots from the Purfleet Hide by Barry Jackson

7-4-12

A surprisingly cold and frosty start to the day and with blue sky, sun and no wind I took the opportunity to take some more shots of budding leaves and flowers. Shame the weather did not hold today... it was nice till midday but then got cold and dull again.

Greengage blossom

Hazel bud

Apple blossom

Cherry Bud

Bullace blossom

The little warm spell that spurred all those Lapwings into action appears to be bearing fruit with perhaps 12 pairs out on the marsh and even a few nests to be seen from the trails.

The ones nearest the centre have taken a liking to the Purfleet Scrape in a big way and these two nests are not that far apart! 

both by Barry Jackson

...and here as promised is the video of the Grey Heron 'V' Marsh Frog battle.  A bit brutal but c'est la vie...

It was going quite well for the 'Starfish' Frog with his legs rigid at right angles but the big pointy bill was just too efficient!

www.youtube.com/watch

Richard Duhrsen

6-4-12

I wonder just how many Wren territories there are out on Rainham Marshes? They breed in every type of habitat from woodland, scrub, ditch edge, reeds and around the buildings and in the morning their song makes up a large percentage of the daily cacophony!

Couple of shots from the Wednesday Walk this week...  magnificent!

Sam Shippey

John Ainsworth (note the amazing hovering chestnut bud!)

5-5-12

'Have not seen one for ages!' was the response when I found a proper Pill Bug yesterday on the walk.  These prehistoric lookign little creatures seem almost defensively perfect unless you like to swallow them whole!  Found a great website that told be lots of cool Pill Bug facts!

Some of this is a bit 'Eeeewwww!!!' but nature is simply quite amazing!

1. Pillbugs are crustaceans, not insects.
Though they…

With the weather back in a cold rut things have slowed down again since mid-week when we had had nine Wheatears and two Willow Warblers on Wednesday. Only two Wheatears today out on Wennington and no extra warblers or hirundines at all. Yesterday saw two each of Marsh Harrier and Buzzard go through and a Red-breasted Merganser spent the day in Aveley Bay on and off but had moved on by today. The only increase today was…

An interesting week so far with The One Show making several visits in recent days in order to try and film our Short-eared Owls. They have been proving problematical but last night one gave up and showed well in the low evening light over the west end of the marsh and Sam the cameraman managed to get some footage as it hunted the meadows before being harassed by crows.

This morning was a different matter though and with…

Could not resist the opportunity to get up on the roof in the sunshine yesterday and took some shots of the reserve in all its wet glory.

Sorry, but could not resist another batch of classic Grey Heron shots that Barry Jackson took today from the Purfleet Hide. All the adults are in high breeding colours at the moment with vividly coloured bills and some colour in the legs. I would not fancy being a frog at the moment  and would be keeping a low profile is I was any sort of small mammal or even a Water Vole or Brown Rat! Almost anything is on the menu for…

The weather forecast for today is not good but at the moment there is wonderful sunshine, no wind and not a cloud in the sky. A Willow Warbler is singing around the wildlife garden and Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps are becoming the dominant song on the drive in. Six Curlew are currently feeding on Purfleet Scrape and Redshank, Lapwing and Little Ringed Plover are all present. The Ruff flock on MDZ is now at 11 but nine have…

We have been quite a bit of stick in recent weeks about the Brown Rats around the bird feeders in the woodland but they have always actually been there.  By clearing the area to create a more bird friendly feeding area we have simply 'allowed' them to become more visible and they have become a by-product of the success of the project to attract more finches and buntings to the area.

Up to fifteen Reed Buntings…

Easter may be approaching but I am not a happy bunny.... ggggrrrrrrr!

During February you may remember that out team of voluteers and wardens (and even me !) planted several hundred small trees around the carpark area and approach road. This entailed putting canes and tree guards around all of them to give them some protection from the wind and rabbits!

Well, a couple of Saturdays ago someone removed 50 in broad daylight…

With frogs everywhere the Grey Herons have been having a field-day! The big frogs put up quite a fight and go right with their legs out at all angles in an attempt to stop themselves being consumed.... It does not work!

Needless to say some great shots of preoccupied Herons in recent days...

Gliding in... (Martin Burke)

The Lunge.... (Basil Thornton)

The Juggle...  (Basil Thornton)

The Swallow... (Basil Thornton…

You have to get real close to see how beautiful lichen is. You can find it almost anywhere: on walls, tarmac, twigs and stones. I will endeavour to find out the names of some of our commoner types but most are shades of yellow, orange and white. 

Air quality is a key reason for the flourishing of lichens and I remember being told about how important the Clean Air Act of 1956 was. I have done some digging and found…

Despite an very chilly start, the Marsh Frogs eventually got going and could be heard all around the trail and even from inside the shop and office! The first Grass Snake of the year was seen on Friday so with warmer longer days to come it will not be too long before the battle of reptiles 'v' amphibians begins in earnest!

All images by me

2-4-12

...and some more migrant sightings from today!  The pair of Garganey are still around although no one has got a photo yet, a pair of Little Ringed Plovers were seen from the Butts Hide and two male Wheatears were around the Purfleet Scrape this afternoon.  Will post some images later. Both Buzzard and Marsh Harrier have been seen today and Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps have been in full song... no other warblers yet though…

A couple of Ruff appeared last week on the MDZ Pools and with increasing water levels this prime bit of habitat had attracted some more by Sunday!  This morning there were eight tottering around the marshy islands along with the pair of Redshank and two pairs of Lapwings.  They all appear to be males with leg colour varying from fleshy pink through yellow and orange to red! Some had blotchy white pacthes on the head and…

and for my third installment of plants coming into leaf and flower I give you....

Whitebeam

Bramble

Dogwood

Dogwood

Big sticky Horse Chestnut bud

Old Man's Beard - our wild clematis

Bugle