And so after the excitement of the Marsh Sandpiper twitch during 'normal hours', the second shift for the day started as it became time for the annual Big Wild Sleepout. All the guests turned up so wonderfully promptly that we were able to head out onto the reserve in very good time and (with pizza in hand) the party of about 30 of us wended our way through the amazingly verdant southern trail towards the RDZ and Brick Building.
The wind had been picking up all day but we tried not to worry about putting up tents until we needed to and were content wandering through the whooshing green reeds that were attempting to swamp the path but at least the temperature had dropped from the almost unbroken barrage of heat over recent weeks.
We made good time even with stops to watch Marsh Harriers and Little Egrets and thus began the task of erecting the tents for the night.
Pat Hart may have been the hero for finding the Marsh Sandpiper but unfortunately he not so lucky with his little pop up tent which decided that it did not like the spot he had chosen and careened off into the distance in a serious of bounding loops before becoming attached to a bramble patch way off towards the Butts Hide in quite possibly the only completely inaccessible spot on the whole marsh.
He watched it forlornly and was thus resigned and consigned to sleeping in the big hide for the evening while his tent became a shelter for other wildlife...
Not an ideal camping spot...
Banging in tent pegs was slightly problematical with the drought leaving the ground set like a concrete foundation but with teamwork and a few spare pegs we managed to help get everyone set up in plenty of time for dinner, a cuppa and a moment or two to chill out.
There may have been a pizza theme with dinners...
Apart from Alistair with his highly honed culinary skills...
We all reconvened at 8pm and Jules and Alistair took most of the families off for some nocturnal pond dipping while Pat and Ken took the remainder around to Aveley Pools. It was all a bit windy but everyone enjoyed themselves and was welcoming of another brew upon their return.
Thankfully the cloud was holding off and while the Collins and Archers set up the moth traps in the lee of the Brick Building, I popped the scope onto the orb of Jupiter with at least three of its moons on show before a five minute window allowed us to zoom in on the mighty Saturn, even further away at 746 million miles distant!
It is currently tilted so that you can see onto the rings which is just mind boggling when you think about it. I am always in awe of her majesty but no one else had ever seen it before and for many it would become the highlight of the evening. Unfortunately it was all too brief and thin cloud veil was enough to remove this might celestial body from view.
Lapwings called in the dark and we were even lucky enough to hear the Marsh Sandpiper with the two Greenshank flying around above us and Greylags could be heard out on the marsh with the odd croak of a Grey Heron.
At 1014pm precisely the International Space Station sped into view from the west, glowing brightly as it shot over our heads 254 miles up at 17,130mph! These figures are almost as amazing as Saturn and we were treated to a second showing after it had popped around the globe at 1151pm.
By now the moon had risen but alas with none of the eclipse glow that we all missed on the cloudy Friday evening but it shed enough light to illuminate the marsh and campsite in a soft white glow.
With that it was time to call it a night in preparation for an early rise which seemed to come about all too soon. We broke camp by just after 7am with rain in the air and Yellow Wagtails leaving their reedbd roost and amazingly managed to have enough to time for some extra pond dipping in the Woodland zone on the way back before the weather finally let out its breath and a light persistent rain settled in for the duration of the day.
Five thirty sunrise for me before getting everyone else up
Phil decided on an under the stars approach to camping...
Rosie loved moths but wanted her Dad to hold this male Oak Eggar for her to watch...
Pat rediscovered the Marsh Sandpiper in Aveley Bay on his very early walk with a couple of the guests which pleased them and the first early birders who saw it before it departed as the rain came in before dropping into our reserve at Cliffe further down river during the late afternoon.
With breakfast served and sorted we bid farewell to our BWSO guests ready to welcome those eager to look for the now already missing sandpiper.
Job done... time for a kip...
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer