Today is #HenHarrierDayOnline! We’re celebrating with our remarkable new hen harrier artwork by @AtmStreetart, to raise awareness of these rare birds.

This year it’s all online so join @ChrisGPackham & @MeganMcCubbin NOW for a day of virtual action  http://youtube.com/HenHarrierDayUK

On 8 August celebrate Hen Harrier Day 2020, an online celebration of these spectacular birds. We're delighted to reveal this amazing hen harrier artwork by @AtmStreetart, here @RSPBRainham.

Take part in a day of virtual action  youtube.com/HenHarrierDayUK @HHDayUK

See the full update here..

https://community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/rainhammarshes/b/rainhammarshes-blog/posts/we-are-re-opening

We can also confirm that our toilets in the visitor centre are open too.

Press release 2020/04 - Issued by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust

Conservationists come together to save the threatened Shrill carder bee

A group of leading conservationists have committed to work together to save the rarest bumblebee in England and Wales, the Shrill carder bee.

From today (14 July 2020) more than 30 organisations plus dozens of individuals, including conservation charities, government bodies, volunteers…

Canvey Wick, managed in partnership by RSPB, Buglife & Land Trust, one of the 10 best nature reserves on reclaimed land

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/jul/14/10-best-uk-nature-reserves-on-reclaimed-land-wildlife

Our trails and car park will open on Thursday July 16^th, and we will then be open from 9.30am to 5pm on Thursdays through to Sundays each week.

Please be mindful of our limited capacity. We urge our visitors to please stay local to your nearest reserves and greenspaces.

Anyone choosing to visit should observe all current government advice around social distancing and hygiene.

Some of our hides will be open - namely the…

The RSPB Rainham Marshes reserve will feature in this documentary tonight, on BBC4 at 9pm.

Whilst the reserve has been closed and lockdown has been underway, I wanted to provide an update on what has been happening on the reserve, to reassure you that it has not been neglected or forgotten about.

At the outset of lockdown back in late March, RSPB closed all our reserves, volunteers were sadly asked to not come in, staff worked from home where possible, and then were furloughed. As site manager, in common with…

Whilst our shop here at Rainham Marshes is not available, don't forget that our online shop is still available..

https://shopping.rspb.org.uk/

...helping you to garden for wildlife, feed your garden birds, get gifts and greetings card, and much more.

I found our first glow worm of the year earlier this week...

We know how much you’re looking forward to being able to visit Rainham Marshes again. We’re looking forward to seeing you! However, the reserve trails and visitor centre will continue to be kept closed to the public for now. We will only re-open when we have everything in place to keep our visitors, volunteers and employees safe.

We also have some species nesting close to our normally busy paths, so we need…

One key management task underway at the moment, is the use of pumps to maintain water levels. despite the run of warm weather during April and into May, water levels had held up well. But they have started to drop away now, so using pumps to move water around has been necessary this last two weeks or so. Keeping parts of the marsh wet, with lots of insect life in the damp mud, is vital to help breeding lapwing and redshank…

The #BigWildSleepOut is coming but not as we know it...this is the ‘Lockdown Edition!’ You’ve been loving your daytime wildlife and now is your chance to discover what comes out after dark. Join in from home on Sat 23 May - https://bit.ly/2zAww7l

One of our trail cameras caught this picture of a redshank.

It looks very much like it is about to land on the gatepost. This is always a sure sign they have young nearby, as landing on a post gives them a good vantage point from which to watch over the young in the grass below.

Wading birds on posts often look... unexpected, as we are more used to seeing them wading in water and poking their bills into the mud. But several…

Following announcements this week from the government regarding the lifting of some of the lockdown restrictions, I wanted to provide you with the following update regarding the reserve. 

• The Rainham Marshes reserve trails and visitor centre will continue to be kept closed to the public for now. We will only re-open when we have everything in place to keep our visitors, volunteers and employees safe.
• We will not be opening…

Penduline tits..

Back in late December 2004 three penduline tits were found along the northern haul road (before there was even a northern trail boardwalk). They did not linger and were seen to fly off to the west. The record was met with some incredulity at a local level. This occurred twelve months before the December 2005 sociable plover was found on the reserve. Whilst the sociable plover was present, many birders came…

With a #BankHoliday approaching, we would like to remind everyone that in line with clear instructions from the Government for us all to remain at home (apart from a limited number of allowed activities), the reserve remains closed to visitors until further notice and our events are postponed. It is with great sadness that we ask people to continue to refrain from visiting us, but we must play our part to help restrict…

Its a really important time of year for our ground nesting birds, please see the message below.

This Sunday is #DawnChorusDay, a celebration of beautiful bird song. What have you heard where you are? #IDCD https://bit.ly/RSPBBirdSong

Normally, we’d be holding early morning events on the reserve to get out and hear the wonder of bird song around the marshes. This would typically include the metallic zinging of reed warblers, the scratchy song flights of both sedge warbler and whitethroat, the slightly sorrowful…

Another picture from one of our remote trail cameras.

This time, a flock of starlings, that had been feeding on the grassland in front of the camera, caught taking flight.

During the current lockdown, starlings have been keeping us amused in the garden at home. Several pairs, obviously nesting nearby, have been coming to mealworm that we've been putting out. They've been really bold, coming down whilst we've been sat…

With the reserve still closed to the public, wildlife is still out on the marsh and busy going about its daily life.

Trail cameras picked up these two over the weekend...

Yesterday whilst on site, there were 4 hobby hawking high over Aveley Marsh, looking like huge swifts and clearly catching plenty of food - probably including the early emerging hairy dragonflies which are now on the wing.

Several fields contained plenty…

Howard prepared this story a few weeks ago, a tale of some birding from 2005...

Way back in 2005 on the 4th December, Mike Dent and I were out on the reserve conducting the monthly Wetland Bird Survey (WeBS). It was a cold, still and overcast day I seem to recall and we had not seen anything of great note but there were very good numbers of Lapwing with about 2000 across the site.

The marsh was not yet open to the public…

Working with our farmer, cattle were turned out on to Aveley Marsh yesterday.

Cattle grazing is an important way to manage the marshes, benefitting the habitats and species that are found on the reserve. It's especially important for key breeding birds like lapwing, redshank and skylark. Mid April is the typical time that we undertake turnout most years.

This year, enabling this on the reserve takes on extra significance…