The carpark, centre and trails are still closed today as we try our best to restore power . Things are looking up for tomorrow and the reserve wil be open as normal with facilities and the cafe but the shop is ilkely to be opening late...

Sorry for any inconvenience caused..

21-10-12

Despite being closed yesterday, a few people walked in along the river wall and managed to see quite a bit in the gloomy conditions... Highlights being: 45 Redwing, Brambling, Lesser Redpoll, 101 Linnet. 36 Goldfinch, 3 Rock Pipit, 12 Meadow Pipit, 2 Reed Bunting, 3 Skylark, 2 Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Snipe, Little Ringed Plover (will it ever leave??), 98  Redshank, 81 Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 46 Canada Goose and…

Basil Thornton took this lovely picture of a Goldfinch on the feeders with others of its kind last week. Only afterwards did he notice the lilac band on its left leg.  Sometimes birds get colour ringed as part of a scientific survey and these ring combinations make it easier to trace where they have come from and been to but there is always a metal ring on one of the legs that tells you which country the bird was ringed…

Morning all...

Unfortunately due to a serious power cut during Friday night we have been forced to close the whole reserve for the weekend as we not only have no shop or cafe but more importantly no welfare facilities for visitors, staff and volunteers.

Very sorry if you had a visit planned ....

I will update on Monday morning

20-10-12

With Marsh Frogs still being seen in the generally mild south-westerly conditions, it is not surprising that Grass Snakes are also still on the prowl looking for a few succulent amphibians to prey up to fatten themselves up for the coming hibernation period!

Lee Spence was lucky enough to see this one on the boardwalk one day recently. A most unusual occurrence as I have never seen one do this when they are quite capable…

Just a quick plug for the 12.75kg bird seed offer in the shop at the moment. Been a quiet day today so definitely lots of stock for you all to come and buy this weekend 'cos you love your birds!

19-10-12

The undoubted highlight for many today on a very wet and murky reserve was the slightly peculiar sight of a man in a wetsuit and hi-viz vest standing on a surfboard and paddling up river on the incoming tide. Not only did he have many very large boats for company but he had also attracted the attention of three Harbour Porpoises that followed him inquisitively. At one stage he put down his oar and took a camera out of…

Starlings are flocking! There must be several 1000 around the landfill site at the moment and small groups are visiting the neatly mown lawns of the wildlife gardens where they spend their time probing for leatherjackets (young Craneflies!)

I wish people would give these birds the attention they deserve!

(Basil Thornton)

(Mark Hart)

19-10-12

Our local population of Reed Buntings is being slowly augmented by immigrants from further north and east and small parties can be seen along the ditch edges and are even starting to come to feeders outside the shop as well as their usual haunts! They are often quite showy and will perform for the lens on occasion!

Male (Basil Thornton)

Female (David Dent)

18-10-12

Gangs of inquisitive Jays are still prowling around looking for trouble and probably some elusive acorns.  They have even been coming down to the feeding station outside the centre to scavenge for peanuts, which I must say, are undoubtedly more palatable than acorns!

I bet that many of you have had them in your gardens over the last few weeks. Truly beautiful crows and wonderfully intelligent. I remember hearing a programme…

Fairly quiet out on the reserve today in a strong south westerly wind but this plucky little female Stonechat was one of two pairs seen today.

Great shot by Mark Vale

The Little Ringed Plover was still on Purfleet Scrape and three Greenshank, four Curlews and 33 Dunlin were seen over the very high tide while two juvenile Marsh Harriers werer still putting the wind up everythign out on the marsh.

17-10-12

Halloween Trail: Spooky fun for the family over half term!

Are you brave enough to solve the Halloween trail? Pick a spooky sheet from reception and explore the reserve finding the clues to discover the mystery creature! Solve the mystery and get a price! Come dressed up in your best Halloween costume and get your photo on our Scary Monster’s Board!  £3 for RSPB WEx members, £4 for non-members, adults free!…

Not Badgers.... badges!

And I mean old type and not the current pin badge style... I managed to find all my old ones the other day whilst tidying up and thought that you may like a look. Brought back many good memories of Young Ornithologist Club days in the early 1980's.

I will be sending copies of the reserve ones to their respective sites. I suspect that some are quite unusual...

you can tell I went to Scotland…

Our Rock Pipits are back from Scandinavia for the winter and several are already patrolling the seaweed rich foreshore in search of inverts such as sea slaters and sandhoppers. This one snapped by Russ Sherriff is especially neat and tidy... very dapper indeed!

Listen out for that strident 'fist' call as you walk along the riverside path.

16-10-12

Plenty of other birds out on the reserve today and the Ibis lads also found... Marsh Harrier, Barn Owl, 5 Curlew, 8 Black Tailed Godwit, 3 Bar Tailed Godwit, Grey Plover, 200 Redshank, 3 Greenshank, 22 Dunlin, 12 Ringed Plover, Little Ringed Plover, 32 Snipe, 4 Rock Pipit, 6 Goldcrests and 2 Lesser Redpolls....

The Bar-tailed Godwits showed very well and Russ Sherriff got some god shots that show off all the key features…

I was out and about in Kent today (finding lots of good birds on our reserve at Dungeness as it happens) and was very pleased to get a call from Smiffy and Andy Tweed to say that the Glossy Ibis was back at Rainham and happily probing around the Target Pools.

Its stayed a couple of hours before heading off east but not before a few more people caught up with it, including Russ Sherriff who got some good shots.

With…

A cool start to yesterday and once we all calmed down after the Ibis incident we were treated a great views of Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, a host of waders including the five Greenshank and Little Ringed Plover again and some Golden Plovers with the Lapwings. At least two Bearded Tits were seen on the Dragonfly Pool again and Stonechats and Reed Buntings were showy.

How many Golden Plover can you see with…

Just a very quick update but we were lucky enough to have an immature Glossy Ibis on Purfleet Scrape for a whole eight minutes this morning before it took off gained height and headed south across the Thames and into the distance! This is the second for the reserve but the first to have been seen by more than just one person!  

Hopefully it will come back...

I am very happy that Basil Thornton got these shots today…

Last year I managed to capture the special moment when the rising sun hit the glass edifices that are Canary Wharf when it went from dull monochrome to blazing brightness in the blink of an eye. I had not seen it before or since (even the following morning!) but today it happened again as I stepped outside just after lowering the drawbridge.

Simply amazing and it only lasts for a few minutes before slipping back to subdued…

Many of the dabbling ducks are well on their way out of eclipse pluamge now and some of the Shovelers and Mallard are starting to look particulalrly smart! Basil caught up with this small group of the former on Thursday.

Others are still largely garbed in in brown hues but the male Wigeon are slowly losing their russet plumage and a few Teal are starting to aquire red, green and gold heads.

Elsewhere on the reserve…

Our female Kestrel is still holding court out on the marsh and on this occasion she caught a young Water Vole and proceeded to consume it on the path just a few feet in front of very appreciative Jerry Hoare. Her foot seems to have recovered for sure as there is no way she could have tackled such a prize...

www.youtube.com/watch

12-10-12

If you missed it earlier then please go here, put you feet up for half an hours and listen to Sam and Clare on the Ramblings around Rainham last Thursday!

It is actually rather good!

Sadly our male Peregrine met an untimely end the other week when it was found beneath a chainlink fence that it had obviously hit a full speed in the pursuit of prey. These things happen occasionally it it was amazing enough that the body was discovered at all so at least we know what happened to him.

His much larger other half has been sporadic in her appearances since then but was back on the pylons this weekend. She…

Phwoar!  Now this is a slug to get excited about! We found one a few months back whilst doing the Bog Garden and Julie Dent came across this spotty monster on Sunday morning cruising across the path!

Leopard Slug at full speed!

11-10-12

I am pleased to inform you that the reserve has joined the 21st century and is now on Twitter....

Click here to follow us....

We shall be using it to promote the reserve and what's about so be prepared to receive lots of updates!

Today has been quieter than yesterday but there were two male Yellowhammers on the river wall and at least two juvenile Marsh Harriers again out over the reserve while a Buzzard circled…