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…

Over the years RSPB Rainham Marshes has become a well know staging post for Black-tailed Godwits migrating to and from their Icelandic breeding grounds.  Some years we have had up to 700 wintering on our stretch of the Thames with many thousands more as you head out towards Southend. 

Colour ringed birds are seen from time to time and this well travelled female was photographed on the 1^st of January by Alan Shearman.  Right…

Ornithological Summary December 2021

RSPB Rainham Marshes:

The Cattle Egrets must have got wind that the cows were leaving for the winter as the last one was seen on the 3rd the week before they left. With mild conditions there was not much change in wildfowl numbers but a hint of east brought in a flock of 15 skittish Barnacle Geese that headed north.

Barnacle Geese - Mark Vale

Five more dropped in on the 21^st and…

I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas!

  Rainham's visitor centre by Andy Hay (rspb-images.com)

Just a little reminder:

Christmas and New Year Opening Times....

Christmas Eve - we will be closing at 2pm.

Christmas Day and Boxing Day - Rainham Marshes will be closed.

27 December - 3 January - the reserve will be open as usual (9.30 am-4.30 pm).

If you’ve not already taken part in our exclusive #RobinRobin trail and activities, why not bring the family along this #Christmas holidays for a fun-filled adventure.

 https://events.rspb.org.uk/events/9992

Ornithological Summary November 2021

RSPB Rainham Marshes:

The Cattle Egret duo became five on the 2nd and by the 7th there were ten following around the cows with at least three making it through to December.  This was a new site record and a taste of things to come I think while Great White Egrets were seen on five single dates. A single Barnacle Goose (9th) was seen with the vast Canada flock and a couple of Scoter…

Our friends over at Blean have an exciting event coming up that we wanted to let you know about!

Coffee, creatures and crafts, the perfect excuse to visit the woods in winter. On 18 December come and celebrate the wonderful wildlife of Blean Woods at the Winter Fayre, with Kent Wildlife Trust and the RSPB.

A selection of stalls, crafts, activities and games for all ages – and learn more about what Kent Wildlife Trust…

From 6 December the reserve will be opening on Mondays once again. This means we will be open Monday-Sunday, seven days per week.

The visitor centre, café, shop, toilets, reserve trails and hides will be open every day 9.30 am-4.30pm (till 1st February when it reverts to a 5pm closure)

Please note that on week days during December the café will be running a limited service due to staffing levels – snacks, cakes…