Here is a guest blog from Sim:
December. The month that signals the end of the year, the month that signals winter has arrived and the month that signals Christmas is just around the corner! It’s the marmite month of the year, you either love it or hate it. But a quick glace out onto the reserve from the panoramic visitor centre windows and it is hard not to love it. December is a wonderful month to see the magic that Rainham Marshes holds. The scrapes are filled with water and are teaming with the graceful movements of wintering ducks like pintail and teal. The air is filled with the music of whistling wigeon, calling lapwing and chattering house sparrows. Look up and you will find a hunting marsh harrier or see flashes of red as a flock of redwing fly past.
Lapwing flock by Dawn Cowan
A small snippet into a winter’s day on the marsh and it gives you an insight of how much of an important home it is for the wildlife that use it and, more importantly, need it. A small snippet into a winter’s day on the marsh and it is enough to make the hairs on your arm stand up in excitement. A small snippet into a winter’s day on the marsh and it is enough to leave you wanting more, wanting to know what you might find on the other 364 days of the year (well, 363 since we are closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
The Visitor Centre by Tony O'Brien
This year for Christmas, wrap up nature in a lovely red bow* and give it as a gift to the person that you care about. RSPB gift memberships not only provide the receiver with experiences that will excite, intrigue and be relevant for the days, weeks and years yet to come, but also be helping to ensure that nature always has a home. By completing a gift membership here with us at Rainham Marshes, you can ensure that you are directly helping the reserve that you love as well as being able to take your gift membership pack away the very same day. Let’s help to keep Rainham Marshes the wildlife haven that it is and have a Merry Christmas for all! *Red bow not included