It has been bitterly cold all day today with a biting wind and the threat of snow but the flat light meant good visibility and we decided to gead along the river wall for the entirety of the walk rather than the loop around the trails. It proved most fortuitous as the Thames was alive with birds and with the marsh being frozen it meant that all the duck were on the river and showing well. Not long after we headed out Mark Vale picked up three small black and white birds close to shore and much to my delight they proved to be a snug little party of Slavonian Grebes in their pied winter finery. They dozed for much of the time but kept a red beady eye on what was going on around them. This is a very rare bird at Rainham Marshes so three is exceptional!
Slavonian Grebes (Brenda Clayton)
Slavonian Grebes (Pete Merchant)
This was just the start and in the course of the morning we also logged a pair of Goosander (after five males yesterday), 8 Pochard, 2 Great Crested Grebes, 300 Fieldfare, Water Pipit, 12 Rock Pipits, 16 Pintail, an adult Med Gull, 16 Little Gulls and a possible adult Ring-billed Gull (all of which were following ships).
Female Goosander with Shelduck (Pete Merchant)
Waders were well represented with the following species seen:
It is only 3pm so still time to find some more!
Oh and the Bearded Tits are still around.
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer