No sign of the grebes today in very cold and blustery conditions but a few waders in the Bay and hundreds of close flying Swifts more than made up for it.

Cuckoos are still around and both Mike Hughes and Tom Bell have got recent shots...

(MH)

(TB)

21-5-13

No news yet today but these two Black-necked Grebes were the standout highlight from yesterday as they made themselves comfortable on Aveley Pool.  Hopefully I will be able to update later to say they are still there.

(Andy Tweed)

21-5-13

With insect life starting to come to the fore once again, it becomes imperative that if you are a non-predatory insect that you look where you land otherwise you may fall prey to the clutches of Misumena vitae.... the White Crab Spider

A Green Veined White perishes..... Matt Adam Williams

And do check out Matt's blog....

21-5-13

This Golden Plover was seen on several days last week. Now mostly in breeding plumage, it should really be on its way at least as far as the Pennines to breed. Seemed quite at hoome amongst the anthills.

Great shots by Steve Drake

20-5-13

It is not until a feeding Swift hurtles past your ear at a great rate of knots that you get a fell for just how big the bird is. Seem to recall that it has a wingspan of about 30cm so that is a lot of wing on a slim body and a tremendous amount of power to put to good use hawking for insects and avoiding dashing opportunistic Hobbies!

Last week was definitely a Swift Week with several day with literally 100's pouring…

Now, it's not often that you get involved in the nitty gritty morning ablutions of a bird but our Kingfishers are under such close scrutiny that almost every moment can be captured....

This is one of those occasions when the pictures tell the story.... (imagine the sound of me discreetly coughing into my hand at this point...)

I am truly impressed with the volume, range and potential terminal velocity.....

Where Sedge Warblers get the energy to keep singing madly all day and night I do not know but they must have a secret stash of energy drinks or caffine tablets to help them keep up such a sustained concert of song!

Great shot by Bill Crooks... and do not ask me why but my tired, addled mind momentarily imagined that this little chap was singing Bohemian Rhapsody..... Oh well....

19-5-13

If you want to see if our Fox Fence is working just come and visit at the moment...

There are baby Lapwings dotted about all over and and wildfowl broods such as Mallard, Coot and Canada Goose are not being depleted.... excellent news.

Still got seven (Dawn Cowan)

19-5-13

I wonder if the folks out on the walk will be lucky enough to hear the weird rattling call of the male Garganey that arrived on Wednesday. He was still around yesterday and showing well on Aveley Pool. The back left hand corner around Marc's Fingers (as we call the islands) is your best bet.

Thanks to Jerry for getting this shot.

Well it is now 0431 and the Dawn Reveille is well under way. Blackbirds, Song Thrushes…

It is a little after 3am and I am waiting for the first dawn chorus visitors to arrive.  It is cam and still and not too cool so the prospect of a good sunrise session is on the cards.  I passed a family of Foxes on the was in and all looked as bemused to see me as I them. Cubs were really tiny. Sedge Warbler was the first bird in song and even the frogs were already noisy... more later

19-5-13

Essex bird artist Richard Allen (who painted our wonderful river wall, bus stop and Ken Barrett Hide murals) has an exhibition of his work in the Purfleet Hide from today through to the 28th May. Magnificent portraits and wildlife scenes. It costs nothing to come and look so hope to see you down there. All the paintings are for sale and prints are available of some of them.

.

17-5-13

Hundreds of Swifts careening about the marsh today and quite a few hirundines with them but despite checking nothing odd could be found. Plenty else to see though with the drake Garganey showing well and having a good fly round, Greenshank out on the flashes again, baby Lapwings in several spots, dashing Hobbies and great views of Marsh Harrier over the car park!

Mrs M Harrier (Brenda Clayton)

Encouragingly the…

Sorry folks but we are now unable to run the Insect Afternoon tomorrow. All systems go for June onwards though!

17-5-13

When I heard Chris Evans in Radio Two this morning up in Lincolnshire at the start of the 70th Anniversary Dam Busters Commemoration Day I wondered if the Lancaster Bomber that was heading from there to Biggin Hill may pass over the reserve on its way south. I gave everyone a heads up and and at about 1230 we picked her up as she headed over Purfleet and across the Thames and although she was a fair way off we could still…

With the last Dawn Chorus walk coming up at 4am on Sunday morning I though I would throw some nice Warbler images at you from recent days on the reserve.  Just keep your fingers crossed that it is a nice morning for a walk and that the birds feel up to a bit of lung action!

So brush up on all your melodious warblings, scratchy ramblings, rhythmic gurking and frenzied twitterings and you will be well away!

Oh and do not…

Well, as I suggested at the start of the week, things have moved a little in the frenetic world of our Kingfishers and today we have had some signs that the eggs have perhaps started to hatch. There has been far more activity today and with frequent comings and goings and the male has been taking tiny fish into the burrow while she has been outside. One was also seen removing what looked like a piece of eggshell this…

Sorry for the lack of posts the last two day but the whole RSPB website, community and blogs seemed to be having a severe tantrum!  Anyway, all seems ok now so here is an update for the last two days....

Yesterday was bitterly cold being only three or four degrees in the strong wind and as such the birds kept low. A drake Garganey was found by the Wednesday Walk and was a long overdue first proper spring record for the…

Been looking at some new images of our mixed singing warbler and I have to admit that I am starting to get a little confused.  These were taken on the first day that it arrived (23rd April I believe) and although it still looks Willow Warbler shaped, it not only looks very cold and grey but also has very dark looking legs....

Am after some help now with this one.  Heart still says Willow Warbler though....

Images…

It did not feel that warm today but there was a lot more dragonfly and damselfly activity with the three Blue Damsels and Large Red in the woodland. This also means that there must be more, smaller insect life for them to feast on...

Blue-tails (Mark Vale)

Large Red (Chris Lowe)

Large Red (Mark Vale)

13-5-13

Hopefully we should see signs that the Kingfisher eggs may have hatched by the end of next week.  At the moment he is relieving her briefly of nest duties two or three times a day but as soon as the young hatch, frantic feeding should ensue and they birds should be come a lot easier to watch.

(Brenda Clayton)

13-5-13

Rainham Marshes is an ideal place to experience a spring Dawn Chorus. We start pre-dawn at 4am as the first Robins, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Wrens arise with Reed and Sedge Warbler chundering and chattering behind us and asthmatic Lapwings and trembling Redshanks display over the marsh and the Cuckoo tries to remember his name.... I suspect Mr P will get in on the act with an enthusiastic crow or two and if it is…

Some good Kingfisher action today.  Tom Bell got some decent little snatches of video and this cracking shot.

www.youtube.com/watch

second video will not embed so please click here!

12-5-13

Sorry to the lovers of dragons and damsels but to the Hobbies, the emergence in the last two days of the first Hairy Hawkers, Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies is good snacking news. Sheltered areas around the Cordite Store are your best bet at the moment if you wish to have a look for them.

Mark Vale captured this newly emerged Hairy H on Wednesday.

There have been a lot more butterflies around too including…

David Dent got real close to this Grey Squirrel the other day as it munched on the sticky buds of the Horse Chestnuts in the cordite. If ever a Squirrel could look sultry and alluring then this one has got her Equity Card and has been practicing....

Hate to say it but.... cute....

11-5-13