Evening all....

So lets start with today's sightings... 31st December: 22 Avocet, Grey Plover, 21 Golden Plover, Water Rail, Mistle Thrush, 3 Snipe, Buzzard, 2 Stonechats, 2m1f Marsh Harrier, Barn Owl, 2 Short-eared Owls, Water Pipit, 12 Fieldfare, 40 Redwing and all the usuals... the Short-eared were not seen unti last knockings today and even then they were out on Wennington.

Now to tomorrow.... a New Year...…

It has been an exciting few days since Christmas with a real mix of wintry weather with foggy mornings and glorious afternoons, misty rivers, rich sunsets and frozen, frosty ground.

Frosty Dog Rose - Clive Watts

Jerry Hoare with very, very long legs...

A foggy Dawn - Lee Spence

Frost needles - Helen Mathias

Not sure if this species of mammal is on the site list? - Tony O'Brien

Thrushes and Owls have…

It is Boxing Day and hopefully the wondrous excesses of yesterday are momentarily behind before round two starts imminently and with that in mind I thought I would let you know about our ‘new look’ regular walks that we shall be hosting throughout the coming new year.

Up until now (and for about as long as the reserve has been open to the public!) we have had three weekly walks that have, over the years,…

Morning all... Happy Christmas!

Hope you all have a good festive time and see you all on the 27th when we reopen!

and a suitably appropriate Robin from Jo Collins!

Oh and and yes I will be opening up at 7am on New Years Day!

25-12-16

It has been a busy run up to Christmas and although the weather has not been great there have been some quality birds to be seen.

A Cattle Egret appeared last Friday and was seen again on Tuesday (but not since) and whether this is a different bird from the start of November is anyones guess but there is a national influx going on so a new bird is as likely I suspect.

Cattle Egret - David Warren

The Barn Owls have…

Hello everyone!

I would like to take the opportunity to say a big thank you for your support of the reserve over the last year! It's been a great year!

It's time once again for Bill Crooks 12 Day of Christmas (Rainham Marshes Style)

www.youtube.com/watch

I just wanted to let you all know our opening times over the festive period:

• Christmas Eve, Saturday 24 December: 9.30 am open, and we will…

Good afternoon everyone,

I hope that you are well!

Today we have a guest blog for you. Hilary is a local artist who is working on creating some audio visual work - so you may see her around!

Over to Hilary:

Ring Cycle. A salvaged saga of place.

Picture from Hiliary's Twitter

"Hello everyone!

"I am Hilary - an artist, and the recipient of this year’s Stephen Cripps’ studio award in Acme studios, at the…

Sorry, was a bit busy yesterday...

Cattle Egret, rt Hen Harrier, 500 Starling, 18 Linnet, 4 Cetti's Warbler, 52 Goldfinch, 9 Chaffinch, 15 Robin, 15 Stonechat, 8 Fieldfare, 9 Meadow Pipit, 22 Blackbird, 25 Redwing, 49 Gadwall, 22 Coot, 18 Blue Tit, 26 Long-tailed Tit, 38 Common Gull, 300 Black-headed Gull, 25 Great Black-backed Gulls, 6 Cormorant, 4 Kestrel, 65 Redshank, 439 Lapwing, 44 Golden Plover, 166 Wigeon, 143…

Not sure that any words are required for this magic little time lapse video from Jerry Hoare filmed on the glorious afternoon of our Christmas Fair...

Volume on, full screen, enjoy...

www.youtube.com/watch

15-12-16

Hi everyone,

how are you?

I just wanted to let you know about some footpath works that will be going ahead from the week commencing 12 December 2016-end of February 2017.

The main section of boardwalk that runs alongside the dragonfly pools will be closed, while sections of the boardwalk are replaced.

We hope to have the work completed by the end of February.

 The black line shows the section of boardwalk…

In the year where we held our first Hen Harrier Day at RSPB Rainham Marshes to add our voices to the push to stop this wondrous species being persecuted, it is pleasing to see that we have subsequently had out best ever autumn for birds moving through the reserve with several juveniles (ringtails) noted and even a fine adult male seen by the Irish Patchwork Challenge lads who were over for a visit.

Our latest individual…

Just a little plug for the latest exhibition in the Purfleet Hide... Ian Lycett has a wonderful display of his bird paintings up until Saturday afternoon so please do pop along and have a look...