So, as of April we move over to weekend booking only as standard for the use of the hide as the schools are back in, however, our education team (who are lovely) will let me know on the Friday of days in the forthcoming week when it will be available for use as last minute school bookings tend not to happen.

UPDATE: THE HIDE WILL BE AVAILABLE ALMOST EVERYDAY FOR THE FIRST THREE WEEKS IN APRIL SO GET BOOKING!!!

Obviously…

It has been a mixed few days on the reserve with the glorious spring-like day of Monday with its unseasonal White-fronted Geese followed by steadily gloomier and wetter weather.

There were some non-avian highlights on Monday too with several Brimstones on the wing along with Small Tortoiseshells and Commas. The Sallows were alive with insects too with many Honey Bees and at least three species of Bumblebee with Buff…

This morning my Dad and I set about constructing a stake and binder fence around the front edge of the new bed that Bertha and I worked on last week with a view to creating a deterrent for anyone trying to park on the fledgling meadow here..

Once completed it would also frame the area nicely and result in a ‘reveal’ when anyone approached to see what was on the other side as well as complimenting the laid hedge just…

Wednesday 28th March sees our end of year Stock Take in the Shop and as such we will be closing at lunchtime so that we can hopefully complete it before we go home!

and then on Thursday 29th we are having a new hot drinks machines fitted and as such the cafe will have to stay closed until the work is finished. Hopefully this will be before lunchtime when normal service will be resumed.

It is going to be a busy couple…

• RSPB Rainham Marshes: 25 Russian White-fronted Geese east 1220, juv Iceland Gull, imm f Peregrine 2 Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Spotted Redshank, m Peregrine, 250 Feral Pigeon, pr Stock Dove, 6 Bearded Tit, 2m Chiffchaff, pr Blackcap, 4 pr Oystercatcher, Curlew, 4 Snipe, 3 Golden Plover, 15 Dunlin, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 2cy Caspian Gull, 2m3f Marsh Harrier, 4 Buzzard 54 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper…

The work that we started in the car park in the autumn with the laying of the hedges has continued this week with Bertha and I preparing the newly exposed area near to the ticket machine bed so that we could start to plant it up with native woodland edge species. Bertha cleared all of the Blackthorn suckers last week that has sprung up in the cleared area and so it was quite an easy job to plant the pots of Foxgloves…

Jamie found this freshly emerged Angle Shades moth hiding in the door frame of out main staff door this morning.  It was obviously still pumping up those beautiful wings so we kept an eye one it once it was moved to a warmer, safer sunny spot.

This initial picture by me was at 0932

And just five minutes later Louise took this shot with the wings nearly there!

I popped back at 1115 and she was still there in all…

Well that was quite a definite return to winter with snow greeting me upon arrival just before seven this morning.  I was wise to come in early as the weather quickly deteriorated and persistent snow and a fierce north easterly wind.

Pretty... but...

The marsh was once again white but thankfully the snow stopped just long enough to take the KBC out on a walk. We were all well wrapped up and there was still quite a…

So tomorrow sees a return to sub-zero temperatures, howling easterlies and the chance of snow but today was glorious and proper springlike with the first proper migrants being seen with a calling Little Ringed Plover and two dapper male Wheatears.  No Sand Martins as yet though.

Wheatear from today - Russ Sherriff

The winter duck are still to be found but the Avocets and Ruff seem to have left us overnight and the…

Well it was not quite the one we had in mind this morning with Sand Martin, Little Ringed Plover or even a dapper Wheatear on the cards but a stunning adult Spoonbill in all his breeding finery was what greeted us this wet and dismal Monday morning.

Andy Tweed

He hung around till nearly 2pm before heading strongly east up the Mar Dyke Valley (and onto my friend's over the garden list).

Unusually for a Spoonbill…

The last few days have seen some of the harshest winter conditions in many years and the reserve did not escape lightly. I was fortunate to be away until Wednesday morning but by the time I fought my way back in on Friday it was apparent that birds were having a very hard time of it.

Snow time - Tony O'Brien

We re-topped the feeders, put out fresh water and Dean went and got some emergency apples for the ravenous…

I hope you are all staying safe and warm in this weather!

Rainham is currently open so come and enjoy a nice walk in a wintery wonderland!

We have had lovely views of big flocks of redwing, and fieldfare taking advantage of the rosehips. The bearded tit, bullfinch, stonechats and cettis warblers have all been seen flying around. The marsh harrier is still patrolling around looking for food, and water rail skating…

Do you want to find out more about volunteering at Rainham Marshes? We are looking for some help working with children, either with families on events or with schools.

We have a taster day coming up, offering you the opportunity to find out what it’s like to volunteer in roles designed to help children discover nature through hands-on nature activities! We need help with things like helping families have fun on the reserve…