Related
Recommended
Louise Moss

One of our fabulous volunteers Pat had a nice walk around the reserve on Friday and wanted to share his sightings:

Hello everyone,

My highlights from Friday were:- swift, cuckoo, oystercatcher, avocet, lapwing, redshank, sparrowhawk, marsh harrier, bearded tit, sand martin, swallow, house martin, cetti's warbler, chiffchaff, sedge warbler, reed warbler, blackcap, and whitethroat.

The swifts whirling overhead are just great to watch, and the bearded tits have been showing nicely all over the reserve!

A young bearded tit, a small ginger bird with black markings around it's eyes, and a very long tail sits on the stem of a reed

Beaded tit by Steve Knox (visitor to Rainham Marshes)

A lapwing flies in the blue sky. The lapwing has it's dark wings outstretched and you can see the iridescent blues, purples and greens shining ine the sun, and it's white stomach as it is flapping.

Lapwing by Alan Reynolds (visitor to Rainham Marshes)

I saw a total of 56 bird species!
Pheasant, Canada Goose, Greylag Goose, Mute Swan, Shelduck, Shoveler, Gadwall, Mallard, Pochard, Tufted Duck, Swift, Cuckoo, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Moorhen, Coot, Little Grebe, Great Crested Grebe, Oystercatcher, Avocet, Lapwing, Redshank, Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Little Egret, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Bearded Tit, Skylark, Sand Martin, Swallow, House Martin, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Sedge Warbler, Reed Warbler, Blackcap, Whitethroat, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, House Sparrow, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Linnet, Goldfinch, Reed Bunting.
.
As you explore it is worth looking out for other wildlife too - the marsh frogs have been quite active, dragonflies and damselflies are flying over the water, as well as all sorts of other invertebrates. 
A beautiful orange butterfly with black and white spots, a painted lady butterfly, sits on a bright yellow flower
Painted lady butterfly by Lawrence Rogers (visitor to Rainham Marshes)

.
.
.
Just a quick reminder:
The reserve is open Tuesday-Sunday, 9.30 am-5pm.
We are currently operating as a one way system - clockwise.
Two hides are open: the Purfleet and Ken Barret Hides.
The shop and cafe are open.
The cafe opens at 10 am-4.30 pm, takeaway and limited indoor seating available - there are some areas of outdoor seating too.

Facilities include: car park, shop, cafe, toilets, accessible pathways, 2.4 miles of trails, bicycle hire.
Please note: dogs, scooters, and bicyles are allowed on the River Wall section of the reserve, but not the main trails.

The reserve is currently (until further Covid restrictions are lifted) operating as a one way system - this means you will be going around the reserve clockwise. You can either do the whole 2.4 mile trail, or exit via the turnstile (1.5 miles). Please note this one way system means that the adventure playground is at the end of the 2.4 mile loop!