Morning all... RSPBRainham is open as normal today but due to staff illness there will no cafe available. Apologies.

Bit of a high tide going on at the moment here on the Thames.  Nothing too unusual for here but the flood barriers are all down along the river and now only the tops of the reeds on the foreshore are showing from the centre and the water is topping over the lower wall on The Garrison but everything is ok and nothing is getting flooded!

All the reed is now under water

Victorian Wall under water

Teal and mallard busy feeding…

Work continues to re-vamp the old raised beds in the Wildlife Garden at RSPB Rainham Marshes and Doug Hutson, one of our volunteers, rescued & carefully rehomed 48 smooth newts of various ages in a new hibernaculum that were discovered under the rotting timbers so do take care out in the garden whilst tidying up this weekend! 

The Photographic Hide has had a spruce up and is now up and ready for the autumn and winter season.

The team have worked hard to improve the views and make sure the wonderful reflection pool is looking good.

A bean bag has been left down there for use in the hide but please do hang it back up after use.

When: hiring available during opening hours if area not in use with schools

Opening times: Full day (9.45 am-4.15…

Morning all.

As you know, we always have someone on hand to help you chose your wildlife watching optics. Well, this weekend we are focusing on telescopes and will have the full range of quality RSPB optics out on display for you to try (as well as the super Kowa and Swarovski if you fancy a gander!)

There are some very good deals on the Avocet and Harrier range at the moment so come along and ask for Tom.

Want to spend the summer sharing the wildlife wonders of Rainham with groups of excited schoolchildren and their teachers? We have an opportunity for a part time (2 days per week) Learning Assistant. 

Perfect for a resting or newly retired teacher. It's all the joy of teaching without the paperwork! 

click here for more details

Outdoor education experience is handy but not essential, although you do need the confidence…

Today the weather was appalling...

It was windy and cold and periodically very wet but two lads (Ben and Zach) stuck at it out there and with a few additions from others managed over 70 species which is quite amazing given the conditions and just goes to show what you can find if you stick at it!

I do not normally post a full list but...

RSPB Rainham Marshes: 26 Greylag Goose, 74 Canada Goose, 4 Mute Swan, 24 Shelduck…

• RSPB Rainham Marshes: Spoonbill, 5 Barnacle Geese, 18 Avocet, 2 Curlew, 42 Black-tailed Godwit, Ruff, 16 Snipe, 43 Redshank, 2 Common Buzzard, 3 Marsh Harrier, Sparrowhawk, Kingfisher, Chiffchaff, 26 Cetti's Warbler, Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, Reed Bunting 

Reedbed Wren - Sebastian Al…

Yesterday, the wardening team (Jamie, Jake and Olivia this time...) have been working very hard to finish off the Cordite Store work. The loop inside is now open and it will be great to encounter the 'refreshed' wildlife spectacle this spring. It looks drastic but watch this space!

Pic from our Intern, Jake Cohen

The contractors were in early last week and with their magic, mighty, robot they made short work of the several areas that needed a life giving haircut.

Although it is not quite open yet to the visitors, the Cordite Store has been cleared and though it may look a little drastic it will result in a far healthier hot spot for insects and birds over the course of the year.

community.rspb.org.uk/.../3568.8308.VID_2D00_20220201_2D00_WA0004…

Way back on the 5^th June 2008 Jamie (now our current Warden), Pete (still a valued volunteer) and Gerry (our Education Officer amongst other things at the time!) were busy building the raised beds in the fledgling Wildlife Garden. 

As you can see the building was a lot brighter in its youthful phase and the planting around the edges of the garden had not even begun - oh and there was no Stone Pine in that small green…

Don't laugh but with the lengthening days the reserve reverts to a 5pm closing from tomorrow, the 1st February!

Hopefully it will be as nice as today...

There has been plenty to see out on the reserve over the last few days with the immature spoonbill stealing the limelight (at least when it is awake!). The five barnacle geese are still out on Wennington Marsh and can sometimes be seen having a fly round the marsh along with the large numbers of duck, greylags and Canada geese.

Spoonbill - Emily Kinder

Spoonbill - Andy Gibbons - oh and a shoveler

Pintail - Ben Luc…

Over the last week we have made a start on managing the hedges in the car park. They were first laid in October and November 2016 and other than a little trimming of the sides and the top they have been left to thicken up and shoot up.

Now is the time to give them a boost by encouraging them to put on new growth and thicken up further.  Last week the side facing the middle car park section was faced up by removing all…

A quick post to tempt you to the reserve this weekend...

Highlights from today...

On the 13^th January 2011 Dominic Mitchell discovered a strange large gull on the landfill adjacent to the reserve. He had a very good idea of what he had found and by that evening the news was out that the very first slaty-backed gull this side of the Atlantic had be identified.  They normally live around the Pacific in Japan and west coast America so this was big news in the birding world.

Dominic Mitchell

The next day…

Kerry was up doing some safety checks on the roof of the Centre first thing this morning... just look at that fabulous winter view across the Thames and Marsh!

community.rspb.org.uk/.../6215.7411.kerry-view.mp4

So much better than this yesterday!

It may be the early days of January but if you look around there are still insects to see. Two moth species have already been found in the Visitor Centre with the subtle little Agonopterix alstromeriana on the 1st and then on the 10th a delightful, tiny bejewelled Esperia sulphurella was fluttering against the window.  This cute little day flying moth is not normally on the wing until March at the earliest, so it was quite…