Early start again this morning to get to work before 0630 to start filling up the pond. Whilst doing this I heard a familiar but unexpected call. 'Sounds like a Hawfinch' I thought but surely not? Late autumn and it may have been on the cards but late May?? I looked up and there, sure enough, was a Hawfinch flying around the centre in circles at no great height before heading south across the Thames. Amazing and yet another brand new bird to the ever growing Rainham Marshes list!
Not sure what the dog walker on the river wall thought about by jubilant 'whoohoo' of joy! Oh well...
Some other bird news from the day... Up to five Hobbies terrorising the newly emerged dragons and damsels along with the Marsh Harrier out looking for easy prey. we reckon that he may even have been seen taking Lapwing chicks..... you just can not win can you?
and a late night visit gave our Warden Nicole views of the Barn Owl again along with hearing a Little Owl up by the railway. The latter is a very scarce visitor here nowadays and I saw my last one here in the late 1980's....
Marsh Harrier with attendant Lapwing (Brenda Clayton)
30-5-12
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer