Following the Government announcement of a #lockdown, we are looking into the details of their guidance and our staffing levels for safely managing our sites, to ascertain what is possible 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.

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.

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.

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

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

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…

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…

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.

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…

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…

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…

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…