• Tier 4, and a Christmas reminder

    Following the Government's announcement yesterday we are now in Tier 4 -  the reserve will be staying open, but please note all the hides, shop and bike hire will now have to close.
    The reserve will be open Thurs-Sun, 9.30am-4.30pm, and our café (takeaway only, 10am-4pm) and toilets will remain open (see Christmas opening times below).
    We will continue to operate a track and trace system, and will be asking…
  • January's guided walks

    Unfortunately, the guided walk events we had planned for January have now had to be postponed. We hope to bring them back as soon as we can - we will update when we know more. 
    Sorry for the disappointment, and thank-you for bearing with us.
  • Hot food and wonderful wildlife

    From tomorrow, hot sausage rolls, cheese and onion pasties and hot soup now available for takeaway from our café, plus teas, coffees, cakes etc. And bring your binoculars for a festival of wintering duck, lapwings and marsh harriers.

     

  • As we enter Tier 3, and plans for Christmas.

    As we go into Tier 3, the reserve will be staying open, but please note all the hides will now have to close.
    The reserve will be open Thurs-Sun, 9.30am-4.30pm, and our café (takeaway only, 10am-4pm) and shop and toilets will remain open (see Christmas opening times below).
    We will continue to operate a track and trace system, and will be asking visitors to wear a face covering in the shop and café.
  • Guided walks starting again, from January.

    We are starting our guided walks again, from January 2021.
    Join us and explore the marshes, with an experienced and friendly guide who can show you the wildlife to be seen on the reserve at the moment.
    These walks will be conducted in a Covid secure way, following all available guidance and safeguards.
    Please book via the links below, using Eventbrite, its quick and easy...
    Wildlife Walks: https://thewildlifewalk…
  • This week...

    An update of our opening times, and the facilities that will be available... 
    The reserve remains open, Thurs-Sun, 9.30am-4.30pm. 
    Great news - our shop and café will re-open this week, in line with government guidance for this area. 
    The café will re-open on Thursday 3rd Dec, serving a take-away menu between 10am and 4pm. 
    Our shop will re-open on Friday 4th Dec, at 10am - call in to discover a whole…
  • Next week

    We expect that from next week, our shop and café will re-open, also some of our hides.
    Our opening days will remain Thurs-Sun, 9.30am-4.30pm.
    More details once our plans are confirmed.
  • Spoonbill puts in a visit

    This immature spoonbill was seen on the reserve last weekend - the dark wing tips give away its age. Thanks to Judy Harrington, one of our visitors, for the pic.

     

  • Don't forget the pin badges

    If you’re missing being able to purchase your pin badges from us here at Rainham Marshes at the moment, then check out the official RSPB eBay page for pin badges here: www.ebay.co.uk/str/rspb. #ShareHowYouWear

     

  • Mobility scooter available again.

    Our mobility scooter is available again, to enable you to explore the reserve trails on the days that we are open - Thurs-Sun, 9.30am-4.30pm..

    It will be cleaned and disinfected between uses.

    Please contact the reserve office, Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm, to book the scooter - 01708 899840

  • Bearded tits out on the boardwalk

    I remember last year seeing bearded tits out feeding on the boardwalk, and it happened again yesterday - and almost in the same spot.

    In the bright sunshine of a warm November day, a male and a female were feeding, presumably on seeds or small insects that they were finding on the planks of the northern boardwalk. They were not at all bothered by me as I stood watching them from just 10 yards away.

    Several times, something…

  • Staying open

    For many of us, our Rainham Marshes reserve provides enjoyment and solace in the natural world throughout these challenging times. In line with Government guidance on essential, daily exercise outdoors, during #SecondLockdown, our car park, trails and toilets remain open for you to visit, Thurs- Sun, 9.30am-4.30pm.

    Please follow all current Government guidance around social distancing, who you can visit with, hygiene…

  • #SecondLockdown

    Following the Government announcement of a #SecondLockdown beginning this Thursday, we are looking into the details of the Government guidance, our staffing levels to safely manage our sites, and which facilities it might be possible for us to keep open on our reserves. We will update you on here as soon as we know more. Thank you for your continued support and patience in these challenging times.

  • Anthills and other insect homes

    Whilst out with our contractors on Aveley Marsh this week, some early morning and low sunshine has been lighting up the yellow meadow ant anthills rather nicely.

      

    They make for a striking and unusual landscape. These ants tend to favour very old grasslands that have not been disturbed, so their presence in such great abundance here is testimony to how good these marshes are.

    As well as working on our scrapes and ditches…

  • Diggers and autumn colours

    Its that time of year when we have contractors out on to the marsh helping with our habitat management.

    Every year, we de-silt and reprofile the edges of some of the scrapes and ditches on Aveley Marsh. This helps keep them open and in good condition for wintering duck and waders, and also our breeding lapwing and redshank. The sides are kept very irregular, creating lots of ‘edge’, and they are given a very gentle slope…

  • Woodpeckers

    Its been a good few days for woodpeckers here - three great-spotted woodpeckers in one tree together, and green woodpeckers have also been very vocal around the car park and in the woodland.
    This pic of a female green woodpecker taken from our woodland photography hide by John Humble.
    Email the reserve on rainham.marshes@rspb.org.uk to enquire about hiring the hide.
  • Birds on the move

    Today, in the sunshine and with clear blue skies, a bird spectacle slowly unravelled though the morning.

    It became apparent that small groups, and some larger groups, of chaffinch were flying along the riverwall, all heading west. In just a few hours, nearly 1100 birds were counted.

    And it wasn't just chaffinches. The flocks contained a few brambling, some siskin and some redpoll.

    This was bird migration happening…

  • Photography hide and optics sales

    Our woodland photography hide is now available again, with its reflection pool.

    And we've been getting some wonderful results, including a regular female sparrowhawk that is visiting (see pic below by John Humble), and woodland birds using the pool, creating some nice photographic opportunities.

    The hide is available to hire - full day £35 including reserve entry (£28 RSPB members), and half day £25 including reserve…

  • Autumn birding

    Stonechats have clearly arrived for the autumn and winter - I'm just back from a few jobs on the reserve, and saw at least 11 stonechats in just one small area near the visitor trail. Archive photo below, by David Dent.
    And on the Target pool field, lapwing, black-tailed godwit, redshank, dunlin, snipe, ruff and greenshank all present, and curlew yesterday - autumn wader passage is also underway.
  • Help save Swanscombe Marshes

     
    The Swanscombe Peninsula in North Kent is home to a remarkable mosaic of grasslands, coastal habitats, brownfield features, scrub and intricate wetlands. However, the proposed London Resort theme park threatens the future of this urban wilderness.
    Known as Swanscombe Marshes, this urban wilderness is home to thousands of invertebrate species, including over 250 species of conservation concern. This outstanding…
  • Big Wild Sleep Out - this weekend

    Yesss #BigWildSleepOut is back on Fri 28th ! We're going virtual once more. But that doesn't mean you should ditch your tent & torch. Pitch up & join us  bit.ly/BWSO2020 

     

    We've got a host of fun activities direct from @RSPBArne @RSPBSherwood & @RSPBMinsmere

  • Face coverings in hides please

    Across the RSPB, we are now asking that visitors into our hides wear a face covering.

    Advice about social distancing and not dwelling too long in hides, and remembering hand hygiene, still remains in place.

    Thank-you.

  • Bike hire is returning

    From tomorrow, Thursday 20th August, we can now hire out bikes to allow you to explore the reserve's riverwall alongside the River Thames, and the cycle network further afield.
    All bikes and helmets will be cleaned and sanitised before and after each hire.
    Available from 9.30am, all bikes to be returned by 4.30pm.
    Full day £12 (£9 for RSPB members) and half day £7 (£5 for RSPB members).…
  • We're Good to Go

    We are part of the “We’re Good To Go” industry standard mark. This is a self-assessment scheme that has been designed by VisitEngland and others to provide reassurance to visitors that we have clear processes in place and are following industry and Government COVID-19 guidance on cleanliness and social distancing.