Jen Blake is our Active in Nature Officer, and she is a crazy lady (don't tell her I said that!)....

She is amazing - she  looks after the Active in Nature project here... We are trying to get people enjoying being outside and being active. So here at Rainham we are hiring out bicycles to explore the River Wall section of the reserve, we have climbing boulders, a running club, yoga and Nordic walking sessions all in…

Check out what arrived today - Rainham Marshes gifts!

We have a tote bag, mug and notebook all with Rainham artwork featuring a kingfisher and our distinctive building!

Check it out for yourself in the shop...

Have you checked out the second hand books we have here at Rainham?

We've got all sorts from natural history to novels there's something from everyone!

We do have enough books at the moment so please don't bring any in for a while, but  we wanted to say thank you so much for your generosity donating your books - we've had lots donated recently, and we are struggling to find places to keep them.

It is getting well into insect season here on the reserve and all we need now is for the rain to stop for long enoug for the sun to come out and warm our bones and those tough little invert exoskeletons...

A few pockets of such warmth have occured since Wednesday (but defintely not today!!!!) and as such those with an eye for such things have been out and about looking for the small denizens of the marsh...

Dragonf…

Due to unforeseen circumstances we have had to close the reserve for the rest of the afternoon (Monday 20 June). We will keep you informed. Thank you, and sorry for any inconvenience!

Flamin' June??  I don't think so. It has been a bit on the soggy side so far this week with successive fronts of heavy rain moving through from the south-west. It has been quite impressive at times and I for one was glad to be in side!

Ships of various shapes and sizes have been a talking point since last week and today the 295 foot long American Coast Guard barque, the ‘Eagle’ headed down river…

Yesterday was a good day. I was out on the west end of RSPB Rainham Marshes at not long after 6.30am and spent a pleasant hour ambling along the cycle path through the lush marsh and counting the breeding warblers. A Grasshopper Warbler reeled and I managed to pick him up singing from a Hemlock and there was plenty of food carrying by other species.

Grasshopper Warbler and strategic passing white lorry

The Giant Hemlock…

Calling all teachers!

Did you know you can bring you class here? You can!

We run a range of fabulous curriculum linked courses for all age groups. With our dedicated education discovery zones and the River Thames on our doorstep, the marshes are a safe and inspiring environment for your class to get close to nature. Led by our professional learning staff, programmes are linked to curriculum topics and are carefully…

On Tuesday I glanced out of the window and spied a glorious pink Bee Orchid poking its head through the unkempt grass of the picnic area below the centre! We have only ever seen them in one little worn patch along the river wall and so this specimen must have grown here from seed rather than laying dormant for the last ten years as the soil was not even here then!

I hastily erected a wire cage around it to protect…

June is well and truly upon us and the weather has been sultry and thundery in the last few day and the marsh is looking lush and luxuriant and is chock full of Lapwing and Redshank families, no less than four Mute Swan broods and the first clutches of Shoveler, Pochard and Gadwall to add to the babe fest.

A Short-eared Owl was seen again today and the Marsh Harriers were up and about but the star of the day went to…

Well that was a different day for us...

Thursday was a surreal day - the Prime Minister visited the reserve, and we showed him how fabulous it is! The RSPB and World Wildlife Fund - UK (WWF) made a case for wildlife and discussed environmental protection with David Cameron and then the explored the reserve!

It was a great opportunity for the WWF and RSPB to put across their viewpoints to our Prime Minister on our…