The controversial ship of the Chilean Navy, the Esmeralda, passed the reserve on it's way out of London yesterday. We are expecting the rest of the tall ships later on (between 3-4 pm we think!)

The Tall Ships returned to Royal Greenwich for five days this August Bank Holiday, as up to 15 Tall Ships dropped anchor for a maritime family festival at Woolwich Arsenal Riverside.

The fleet are being waved off from…

Morning all,

I hope that you are well today! Are you enjoying your August Bank Holiday so far?

I just wanted to do a blog to let you know what's going on, what's been seen and all the latest updates! I've split this blog as it was turning into one super blog - check here to find out what wildlife has been spotted so far!

It's not just the wildlife that has been busy - all the fabulous staff and…

Morning all,

I hope that you are well today! Are you enjoying your August Bank Holiday so far?

I just wanted to do a blog to let you know what's going on, what's been seen and all the latest updates! I've split this blog as it was turning into one super blog - check here to find out what's been going on, what we've been doing to help nature, and what events are coming up!

I'll start with some…

Afternoon everyone,

How are you?

I just wanted to give you a head up about Monday...

Not only is it a Bank Holiday, it's  tall ship day!

The Tall Ships returned to Royal Greenwich for five days this August Bank Holiday, as up to 15 Tall Ships dropped anchor for a maritime family festival at Woolwich Arsenal Riverside.

The fleet are being waved off from Greenwich on Monday 31 August from 2pm as the ships leave…

Get active at Rainham Marshes!

I wanted to give you a heads up of something exciting happening at Rainham Marshes!

Coming soon is a very exciting project here at Rainham...

The RSPB and Sport England have formed a partnership to encourage more people to actively enjoy nature. The two-year project involves new activities and facilities at two RSPB nature reserves, Rainham Marshes and Strumpshaw Fen. Together we will…

We have had a fabulous number of Chelsea football programmes donated to our bookcycle scheme...

Is anyone interested?

We have too many to display on our shelves but would like them to go to a good home!

This is only about 1/4 of our fabulous pile!

A must have for any fan!

Give us an offer - donations go to the RSPB (the programmes must be collected from the centre!)

The last two days have seen some pretty inclement weather across the River and marsh and we have seen a good selecetion of waders once again with some very obliging Ruff and two new Spotted Redshanks, Wood Sandpiper, a group of Golden Plover and both Sanderling and Turnstone again.

Ruff (Alan Shearman)

Ruff again  (David Morrison)

and oh... a Ruff (Henry Wyn-Jones)

A great series of shots....

Yesterday Andy…

Over the last two days we have seen several Tall Ships heading majestically up river in some terrible conditions.  There will be a small gathering in the City over the Bank Holiday before they return on the afternoon of Monday 31st August (or so we are told) so it might be worth looking on line to check their progress - the river wall is a great place to watch them.

Sorry that my pics are not up to much but the driving…

We now have just over 20 stalls for the mini fair on Sunday 6 September.  Be great to see everyone.

If you can promote the event in any way,  please feel free to come in and collect some A4 posters in advance.  Just ask myself or Alex to run some off for you.

21-8-15

Great news from today with Yvonne Couch taking some shots of the first Willow Emerald damselfly of the season.  It was seen just beyond the Cordite I believe but I reckon that checking the Troll Bridge and Bomb Crater Willows will provide more sightings of this colonising species.

note the white pterostigma in the outer wing...

23-8-15

Evening all...

Sorry for a quiet week with posts....  manic with summer holiday stuff on the reserve and barely a moment to think and then went to the Rutland Bird Fair yesterday to 'work' on the RSPB stand promoting Rainham (and other reserves) as well as reminding the birding public that not only are our reserves great for birds and other wildlife but also that quite a lots of the staff also like to go birding too!…

Just give us a ring on 01708 899851 to book your place!

20-8-15

An update on this short and simple post....

The graceful and bouyant Hen Harrier is one of our most enigmatic raptors and yet it has been brought to the verge of extinction as an English breeding bird by a combination of factors that  most tragically involve a high degree of wanton human persecution.  The links are well documented and the evidence unequivical.

At RSPB Rainham Marshes we see this species as a passage bird…

Another busy Saturday that started well with a Little Tern heading up river early doors along with a few Common Terns and whilst brewing my first cuppa I noticed that the hedges in the car park were alive with birds so me and my cup of cha headed outside for a look around.

The crowd of Blue, Great and Long –tailed Tits was joined by several each of Blackcap and both Whitethroats along with two Chiffchaffs and four…

I am not one for lists on here but just a quick update for yesterday to entice you down...

Golden Plover, 42 Black tailed Godwit, 5 Ruff, 8 Common Sandpiper, 3 Green Sandpiper, 5 Greenshank, 2 Redshank, 95 Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 4 Whimbrel, Wood Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher, 16 Common Tern, Little Tern, 61 Teal, Pintail, 6 Pochard, 8 Swift, m Wigeon, 15 Little Egret, juv Bearded Tit. 3 Kingfisher, 2 Grey Wagtail, 5 Pied Wagtail…

15-8-15

Are you 12 to 18 years old? We are running two wardening events for young people this summer!

Meet the Rainham Wardens and find out what they do! Get experience with practical management, helping to give nature a home, and make a difference at Rainham Marshes.

Managing habitats at Rainham is vitally important to ensure our wildlife populations thrive – you’ll be getting a unique opportunity to get really involved…

With rain throughout yesterday evening and night through to about 7am, it looked promising for some wader action today on the reserve and we were not to be disappointed with a staggering 19 species being recorded!

5 Sanderling, Knot, 10 Dunlin, Turnstone, 38 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Whimbrel, 2 Curlew, 3 Oystercatcher, 5 Snipe, 4 Ruff, 7 Redshank, 7 Greenshank, 3 Green Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpiper, Little…

The last 24 hours or so have all blurred into one... It started for me with a walk around the marsh in the scorching August sunshine with a good long stop in the Cordite for some quality Hoverating. A couple of male Eristalis intricaria were defending their territories in a typically showy hoverfly manner with short hovers followed with incredible bursts of exceleration. Jerry Hoare did exceptionally well to get this…

I'm getting excited - are you?

It's nearly here! The Big Wild Sleepout!

Have you got your tent, sleeping bags, and torches ready?

family camping OJO Images Ltd Alamy

The Big Wild Sleepout is all about spending a night in nature's home and connecting with the natural world all around you.

From 7-9 August 2015, we're encouraging everyone throughout the UK to sleepout overnight, either in their own garden…

I'm so sorry but everytime I get to write something about Megachile Leafcutter Bees, I can't help but slip into a little bit of Jimi Hendrix's 'Voodoo Chile'...  see there it is again, all heavy rift and grinding beat... 

I shall continue writing with it playing along... 

In the Wildlife Garden we certainly have at least one type of these large and chunky bees and the bamboo cane homes that I built…

With birds still ever so slightly on the back burner, it is stil the insects that hold sway in the attention stakes on the reserve (at least for the likes of me!) and there is still a huge wealth of different species to encounter of the coming weeks.

Imposing Emperor dragonflies are laying eggs and the first Migrant Hawkers will be on the wing within days along with the main flush of Darters.

Mrs Empress ovipositing…

It would seem tha nearly everyone who come in through the door from having a walk at the moment is oooing and cooing about the various Water Voles and their tiny mini-me offspring that seem to be showing incredibly well and without fear from several of the bridges.  Only jealous not to have seen them myself!

How cute? (Martin Le-May)

Another bub from Jackie Suttling....

5-8-15

Yesterday I hung 32 ecelectic pieces of artwork in the Purfleet Hide from followers of the FoRSPBRM FB page. What a wonderful mix of black and white and colour photography, wildlife and otherwise, poetry, fine water colour and bold oils.  So if you have a chance to get down and have a look please do. All pieces are or sale and donations will be made to the RSPB from sales.

Next Wednesday I will swap them for another 32…