On Friday Clive Watts spent most of the day in the Purfleet Hide and had a splendid Lapwing outside throughout. The iridescence in the sunlight was splendid. Every petrol colour you can imagine! Being so close even allowed him to capture the moment that this one caught a tiny thin worm and teased it from the mud delicately so that it did not break... need a lot of these to fill a belly!

16-3-13

I have no other news from the reserve today other to say that  a fine male Wheatear was seen out on the trails this afternoon.....  woooo! hooooo!

17-3-13

The Black Redstarts continue to be seen on a daily basis at the southern end of Ferry Lane and there seem to be seven pairs of Oystercatcher on our stretch of the river at the moment. Grey Wagtail and Common Sandpiper also continue to be seen on the foreshore there with up to five Chiffchaffs in the surrounding bushes (where they have probably been all winter but we just never looked!)

Mrs B Red (Basil Thornton)

Our little party of four Lesser Redpolls are still around and can usually be found somewhere between the end of the exit ramp and the loop trail in the Cordite woodland.  I even saw them myself on a brief sojourn last week and both Brenda Clayton and Wendy Marks got some great shots over the weekend.

(Brenda)

(Wendy)

Great stuff and it is so nice to have had this small party wintering on site for the past few…

Our three Black Redstarts are still at the west end and are ranging from the foreshore at the west end of the footpath to the new footpath that cuts through the industrial area.  This is ideal breeding habitat and it would be great if they set up territory and that smart male with his fiery tail started singing....

(Dave McGough)

2-3-13

Our Short-eared Owls have been quite difficult this winter but in recent days seem to have become a bit more visible especially if the Hen or Marsh Harriers overfly the Silt Lagoons late in the day. They get up and get stroppy and will tend to give the larger birds some grief to send them on their way. Jonathan Wasse got these shots on earlier today and three birds were involved so I reckon that there is a good chance…

With all this activity on the foreshore it is interesting to see what the Black Redstarts, Robins, Pipits and Wagtails are eating. It mainly appears to be small sandhoppers that they seem very adept at finding amongst the debris and detritus that washes up with every tide. Two Chiffchaffs have also been seen down there and the Common Sandpiper that is wintering will be after similar prey.

Black Red...

Fluffed up…

A bit like the Black Redstarts we are wondering if the Marsh Harriers may stay and breed this year.  At the moment there would appear to be up to five birds using the area with adult, sub-adult and immature (brown) males and at least two large brown female types one of which at least is still retaining juvenile feathers. It is amazing enough that we get to see them nearly everyday now so to take that to another level would…

Now, I know that during the winter I put on loads of Stonechat images but they have already started to disappear and head back to where ever they choose to breed. Remember one of ours went back to where it bred on the Norfolk coast?

Jonathan Wasse got this nice shot at the weekend.  A pair or two are likely to breed so still plenty of time to get out there and find them.

4-3-13

I have been on a 4x4 course for work in the delightful Eastwell Park in Kent for the past two days so missed out on the first two proper spring days of the year... however had great fun in the woods albeit a little scary at times!

Dave Jordan our Lookerer and I with a slightly muddy Defender...

The big hill... a lot steeper than it looks!

The views were great and there were some cracking Fallow Deer and plenty…

Mr Tail Flasher is still holding his own at the west end with his  two lady escorts... I am sure that his plumage had actualy improved since he was first found on the 23rd February. Surely one of our smartest little birds?

(Brenda Clayton)

(Chris Lowe)

(Russ Sherriff)

I do not know if the male Hen Harrier was seen again today but he was certainly around yesterday.

5-3-13

There have been a few Buzzard sightings in the last week after a paucity of records over the winter.  Are these local birds having a wander or continental immigrants?

Eyes to the skies....!  We are due a Red Kite!

(Dave McGough)

(Russ Sherriff)

A bit of warmth, some sunshine and the Lapwings start to get frisky... If the weather holds the bulk of our winterers will disappear magically one night leaving us with our twenty or so birds to breed on the marsh.

Some are already achieving high colour with extra glossy plumage, even longer head plumes and vibrant pink legs.  The tumbling and wheezing will surely follow before too long....

High stepping Lapwing…

It is a pity that the Black Redstarts have been frequenting the far end of the reserve as I am sure many people are just visiting there and going on their way!  Come on folks...  come and have a walk around the trails on a fine spring day.  A Sand Martin has already been seen at Walthamstow Reservoirs (4th) and the first Wheatear was in Wales on the 5th so come and be the first person to find a summer migrant on our wonderful…

Our Linnets are starting to properly pair up now and the males are beginning to acquire some of their spring finery.

This fine posing cock bird is showing signs of his vibrant rosy bikini! (Paul Sherer)

7-3-13

Jerry got some nice video of the Lesser Redpolls last week.  Such cute little birds...

www.youtube.com/watch

8-3-13

No photos today as very very gloomy and wet but two Avocet on the foreshore, ten engaging Oystercatchers on the Marshland Discovery Zone Scrape, four adult Little Gulls over the centre and up the Mardyke Valley, and adult Med Gull on Aveley Pools and two very lost Brent Geese flying around in circles....

:o)

8-3-13

Seldom does a bird look more content than a Snipe when it is happily probing for worms in a nice marshy field.  Try to imagine having a mouth so sensitive that you could put it on the ground and feel a worm wiggling beneath you. There is probably a random element too but they only seem to suffer when the ground freezes.

It is still pleasing to find that they like the area infront of the Purfleet Hide. The waters have…

And no, it is not nice and sunny... it is gloomy, dank and overcast... but we do have a superb flock of 24 Avocets out on the pools. They are obviously fresh in as they are communal feedin in a tight bunch and following this up with a quick doze in a huddle. Very difficult to count... lots of legs...

and there are eight Oystercatchers on the Marshland Discovery Zone scrape again as we speak...

Oiks... images by…

Still gloomy but the birding is great.  Angie and my KBC kids found a winter plumaged Black-necked Grebe on Aveley Pool and by the time others got round there two summer plumaged adults in full tufty refinery had popped out of the sedges to join it!  Hopefully there will be some photos later albeit in poor light.

Brents were also obviously on the move with a total of 96 so far heading out of the Thames.  Grey Plover and…

The Vagrant Crew found a Sand Martin over Aveley Pool late on but it did not linger and was soon on its way west. The two female Marsh Harriers and at least one Short-eared Owl have been seen while four more Brents made it a round 100 and a second flock of six Avocets rounded thta total up to 30! 

It is now very cold and the wind has got up as the visibility has improved so tomorrow may be interesting....

9-3-13

Sure I will get some more later but thanks to Shaun Harvey for the Black-necked Grebe and Short-eared owl photos from today...

9-3-13

Sorry, forgot to post this the other day....

The reserve was still looking great with plenty of water around but the weather kept it much the same as January with stable wader and wildfowl numbers. A Goosander (13^th) and two male Goldeneye (21^st) were the only river notables although two Great White Egrets were seen flying through on both the 6^th and 11^th. Who knows where they had been? Singles of Turnstone, Avocet and…

Unfortunately, as I expected the Black-necked Grebe trio from yesterday appear to have departed overnight. Got some more pics overnight from Nick Croft.

No Avocets yet either but the Black Redstarts are still at the southern end of Ferry Lane this morning

10-3-13

Incredibly cold today and the wind is picking up fast... still no sign of the Black-necked Grebes but three Avocets in Aveley bay, a pair of displaying Peregrines over the carpark and two Sand Martins zipping through (missed by me again!)

oh and if any of you are on Facebook then there is a really good RSPB Rainham Marshes page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/groups/73050316205/?fref=ts

10-3-13