This week has been pretty changeable, weather wise, but it has been busy wildlife wise.
There has been lots of waders around including bar-tailed godwit, black-tailed godwit, knot, dunlin, grey plover, whimbrel, lapwing, and redshank.
Bar-tailed godwits and a whimbrel by Ian Plume. The bar-tailed gowits have been spending their time on Aveley Bay and the Purfleet Scrape so it's worth keeping an eye out!
Avocet picture by Bernard Bradshaw
The cattle and little egrets are still showing well, but on Monday 6 May we had three different types of egret - cattle, great and little! The cattle egret is starting to develop the rather lovely orangey tinge.
Cattle egret by Ian Plume - it's starting to get a nice orange tinge to the chest and head.
Little egret by Tony O'Brien - the little egret has a black beak, black legs with yellow feet.
Along the River Wall we've seen a short-eared owl, wheatear, stonechat, corn bunting, and linnets (as well as lots of waders on Aveley Bay).
Wheatear by Mark Vale
There has been a lot of swift, cuckoo, hobby, marsh harrier sightings as well.
Swift by Tony O'Brien
Some of our volunteers are really knowledgeable about invertebrates - Jerry spent a couple of hours the other day doing some close-up photography in the Wildlife Garden and the Cordite Store -
A female red mason bee - by Jerry Hoare
A 14-spot ladybird - by Jerry Hoare
This is a large red damselfly - by Jerry Hoare