Morning all
A pre-work riverside amble proved most productive with two flocks of terns of surprising species with 11 erikking Sandwich Terns being overtaken by an energetic flock of no less than 14 diminutive Little Terns.
Not a great shot but I was pleased to get something. To put this in perspective, we usually get one or two Little Tern sightings in a whole year so 14 juveniles in one flock for three hours is unprecedented!
And my video is not much better as the flock powered out of the river. They move so fast!
A juvenile Whimbrel came up off the foreshore and headed out onto the Rainham Vedlt and two Curlew went the other way while a Ringed Plover few around calling but was too far up in the hazy blue for me to find.
Whimbrel - a young bird with a particularly short bill.
Curlew with Herring and Black-headed Gulls
A few gulls were loafing on the last vestiges of river wall and I managed three species in this shot...
From the left: juvenile Yellow-legged Gull, juvenile Herring Gull and 2cy Great Black-backed Gull
There were still a few warblers around including Willow Warblers and Lesser Whitethroats and Marsh Harriers were out quartering Aveley nice and early.
The buddleias at the end of the river wall ares till in bloom and had attracted Painted Ladies and Red Admirals and Brown Argus, Common Blues, Small Heaths and Meadow Browns were also on the wing.
Painted Lady
Red Admiral
It is now stinky hot outside and things have quietened down as expected but a Cattle Egret has just flown east at about the same time as yesterday...
And a full sightings list for the end of the day...
Saturday 24th August 2019· RSPB Rainham Marshes: 14 Little Tern, 13 Sandwich Tern, 2 Common Tern, Cattle Egret east 1130, 10 Swallow, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, 3 Willow Warbler, Whimbrel, Curlew , Coal Tit, 3 Whinchat, Stonechat, 4 Little Egret, 5 Kestrel, 4 Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, Hobby, 6 Avocet, 73 Lapwing, 2 Ruff, 66 Black-tailed Godwit, Redshank, Green Sandpiper, Yellow-legged Gull, Green Woodpecker, 3 Skylark, Yellow Wagtail, 24 Cetti's Warbler, 6 Reed Warbler, 12 Blackcap, 7 Chiffchaff, Mediterranean Gull, 47 Canada Goose, 361 Greylag, 4 Gadwall, 4 Tufted Duck, 3 Pochard, 3 Little Grebe, 3 Common Sandpiper, 2 Oystercatcher, 9 Little Egret, Spotted Flycatcher, 3 Yellow Wagtail, Reed Bunting, 12 Whitethroat, 5 Bearded Tit, Green Woodpecker, 2 Sparrowhawk, 2 Marsh Harrier
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer