We have two Darvic colour-ringed Mute Swans on the reserve at the moment and thankfully, having such big rings means that they are easy to read.

Orange 4COF has been around since before Christmas and does not have the most exciting of histories (despite its interesting ring code...) having been rung just 6km away at the Mute Swan hotspot that is Harrow Lodge Park in March 2017... This is the first site it has been seen…

So, as of April we move over to weekend booking only as standard for the use of the hide as the schools are back in, however, our education team (who are lovely) will let me know on the Friday of days in the forthcoming week when it will be available for use as last minute school bookings tend not to happen.

UPDATE: THE HIDE WILL BE AVAILABLE ALMOST EVERYDAY FOR THE FIRST THREE WEEKS IN APRIL SO GET BOOKING!!!

Obviously…

It has been a mixed few days on the reserve with the glorious spring-like day of Monday with its unseasonal White-fronted Geese followed by steadily gloomier and wetter weather.

There were some non-avian highlights on Monday too with several Brimstones on the wing along with Small Tortoiseshells and Commas. The Sallows were alive with insects too with many Honey Bees and at least three species of Bumblebee with Buff…

This morning my Dad and I set about constructing a stake and binder fence around the front edge of the new bed that Bertha and I worked on last week with a view to creating a deterrent for anyone trying to park on the fledgling meadow here..

Once completed it would also frame the area nicely and result in a ‘reveal’ when anyone approached to see what was on the other side as well as complimenting the laid hedge just…

Wednesday 28th March sees our end of year Stock Take in the Shop and as such we will be closing at lunchtime so that we can hopefully complete it before we go home!

and then on Thursday 29th we are having a new hot drinks machines fitted and as such the cafe will have to stay closed until the work is finished. Hopefully this will be before lunchtime when normal service will be resumed.

It is going to be a busy couple…

• RSPB Rainham Marshes: 25 Russian White-fronted Geese east 1220, juv Iceland Gull, imm f Peregrine 2 Sand Martin, Sandwich Tern, Spotted Redshank, m Peregrine, 250 Feral Pigeon, pr Stock Dove, 6 Bearded Tit, 2m Chiffchaff, pr Blackcap, 4 pr Oystercatcher, Curlew, 4 Snipe, 3 Golden Plover, 15 Dunlin, 2 Yellow-legged Gull, 2cy Caspian Gull, 2m3f Marsh Harrier, 4 Buzzard 54 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper…

The work that we started in the car park in the autumn with the laying of the hedges has continued this week with Bertha and I preparing the newly exposed area near to the ticket machine bed so that we could start to plant it up with native woodland edge species. Bertha cleared all of the Blackthorn suckers last week that has sprung up in the cleared area and so it was quite an easy job to plant the pots of Foxgloves…

Jamie found this freshly emerged Angle Shades moth hiding in the door frame of out main staff door this morning.  It was obviously still pumping up those beautiful wings so we kept an eye one it once it was moved to a warmer, safer sunny spot.

This initial picture by me was at 0932

And just five minutes later Louise took this shot with the wings nearly there!

I popped back at 1115 and she was still there in all…

Well that was quite a definite return to winter with snow greeting me upon arrival just before seven this morning.  I was wise to come in early as the weather quickly deteriorated and persistent snow and a fierce north easterly wind.

Pretty... but...

The marsh was once again white but thankfully the snow stopped just long enough to take the KBC out on a walk. We were all well wrapped up and there was still quite a…

So tomorrow sees a return to sub-zero temperatures, howling easterlies and the chance of snow but today was glorious and proper springlike with the first proper migrants being seen with a calling Little Ringed Plover and two dapper male Wheatears.  No Sand Martins as yet though.

Wheatear from today - Russ Sherriff

The winter duck are still to be found but the Avocets and Ruff seem to have left us overnight and the…

Well it was not quite the one we had in mind this morning with Sand Martin, Little Ringed Plover or even a dapper Wheatear on the cards but a stunning adult Spoonbill in all his breeding finery was what greeted us this wet and dismal Monday morning.

Andy Tweed

He hung around till nearly 2pm before heading strongly east up the Mar Dyke Valley (and onto my friend's over the garden list).

Unusually for a Spoonbill…

The last few days have seen some of the harshest winter conditions in many years and the reserve did not escape lightly. I was fortunate to be away until Wednesday morning but by the time I fought my way back in on Friday it was apparent that birds were having a very hard time of it.

Snow time - Tony O'Brien

We re-topped the feeders, put out fresh water and Dean went and got some emergency apples for the ravenous…

I hope you are all staying safe and warm in this weather!

Rainham is currently open so come and enjoy a nice walk in a wintery wonderland!

We have had lovely views of big flocks of redwing, and fieldfare taking advantage of the rosehips. The bearded tit, bullfinch, stonechats and cettis warblers have all been seen flying around. The marsh harrier is still patrolling around looking for food, and water rail skating…

Do you want to find out more about volunteering at Rainham Marshes? We are looking for some help working with children, either with families on events or with schools.

We have a taster day coming up, offering you the opportunity to find out what it’s like to volunteer in roles designed to help children discover nature through hands-on nature activities! We need help with things like helping families have fun on the reserve…

Treat your Mum this Mother's day!

Enjoy high tea from 2.30-4.30pm! Sandwiches, filo pastry tarts, puff pastry slices, mini scones, cakes and a hot drink for an afternoon treat. It's only £6.50 per person. Available from 2.30-4.30 pm, book in advance (just give us a call - 01708 899851 - there's limited spaces and we booked up quickly last year!) 

 There are lots of lovely gifts options available from…

I will start of this blog post with a quick little bird re-cap from the last few days...

Highlights as follows:  It is still lovely and wet!

• 1st w Iceland Gull, 10 Ringed Plover, 100 Black tailed Godwit, 28 Avocet, 500 Dunlin, 21 Redshank, 2000 Lapwing, 37 Greylag, 96 Canada Goose, 28 Shoveler, 10 Tufted Duck, 16 Gadwall, 440 Wigeon, 18 Pintail, 6 Stonechat, 10 Redwing, Green Woodpecker, 3 Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Barn…

Something’s not quite right here in our beautiful home: climate change is bringing about increased storms and flooding. Join us to #ShowTheLove and be part of building something incredible this Valentine's Day theclimatecoalition.org/loveyourhome

www.youtube.com/watch

Climate change is already having an impact on much of our wildlife. Help us turn red hearts green from 6-14 February to Show the Love for…

I do not want to mention the word Christmas but it is time of year when you should really be out and about looking for bargainous cards and such like for 11 months time!

We still have a good selection left in our post-festivities sale along with calendars, diaries, crackers, napkins, mugs and table decs so hurry along to take some of the pressure and expense out of next Christmas....

oh and there is currently (through…

And so after far too long in the puff pastry wilderness we have managed to rediscover a lost population of fillings to occupy the warm snuggness of a pastry blanket…

Yes, Sausage Rolls are back! They are now being handmade on site using Red Tractor sausage meat from our local supplier in Maldon. They have hints of nutmeg, black pepper and thyme and are scrummy.

And not to be outdone the Roasted Mediterranean…

Our woodland photography hide is now complete – it has been a bit of a work in progress whilst we completed the installation of a reflection pool, but this is now finished. Our thanks to the volunteer photographers who have helped provide advice and to our volunteer work party for constructing the pool.

Now it is finished, the pool should enable close up shots of woodland birds drinking or bathing, and with an interesting…

Afternoon all.. sad news from the South Essex Wildlife Hospital. They did all they could for 1K our Kestrel but she lost her fight I'm afraid after being taken into care on Friday. Although she looked intact she actually had a coracoid fracture in her wing where it enters the body and had obviously then struggled to find enough prey to keep her body weight up.

She was born and ringed near Guildford in June and…

Big Garden Birdwatch three day weekend is here!

Around 500,000 people took part in the last birdwatch. That's a LOT of birds counted! Now it's your chance to join in, and count the wildlife that's counting on you.
You can go on line here to submit your sightings but all that is required is to get out there, clean and top up your feeders, put out some fresh water and sit back and watch for an hour...

Best…

Children at Rainham Marshes David McHugh (rspb-images.com)

Volunteering taster days or ‘give-it-a-go’ days are designed to allow you to try volunteering in a particular activity, to see if you like it! There’s no commitment to continue after this day if you don’t feel it’s for you (though we hope you do!).

This taster day (on Thursday 15 March, 10am-2 pm) offers you the opportunity to find…

Please see this RSPB Love Nature facebook post for the latest update on the petition to license driven grouse shooting...

Licensing will help end poor practice on uplands managed for driven grouse shooting, which can entail environmental damage and illegal killing of raptors, such as Hen Harriers.

With so much lovely water on the marsh it is not surprising that we have a splendid number of duck sploshing around. Wigeon have topped the 1000 mark for the first time in several years and there are good flocks of Shoveler and Teal with a smattering of Gadwall, Mallard and elegant Pintail.

A cracking female Wigeon - Peter Woods

male Pintail - you can even see the purple gloss on the head - Alan Reynolds

A few…