• Some important December updates...

    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…

  • Celebrate your inner Robin on our adventure trail this Christmas!

    A needle felted robin sings, wings wide, from the top of a Christmas tree. Robin Robin is from the Netflix and Aardman film

    (Aardman/Netflix)

    .

    We’re delighted to be partnering with Netflix and Aardman on Robin Robin, a half-hour, stop-motion, festive story for the whole family, about a young robin trying to fit in. It’s debuting on Netflix on 24 November – get the date in your diary! 

    To celebrate, we’re inviting you to join exclusive Robin Robin-themed adventure trails right here at RSPB Rainham Marshes this Christmas season. 

    Over…

  • Please take a moment...

    On both Thursday 11th and Sunday 14th November we shall be observing the two minutes silence on the reserve. If you are here at those times please kindly join the staff and volunteers in a few moments of quiet reflection. Thank you in advance

  • A new project in north Essex

    A short little video of this amazing ongoing RSPB project at Horsey Island in Hamford Water in North Essex, creating wonderful new habitat for little terns in partnership with
    Boskalis Wessie, Harwich Haven, Van Oord and the Environment Agency.
  • Ornithological Summary October 2021

    RSPB Rainham Marshes:

    Many of the good species from late September lingered into October with the Pectoral Sandpiper staying until the 10th and once again there was a fine selection of big white birds.  The two Cattle Egrets became four on the 17th and five from the next day while Great White Egrets were seen on several dates with two on the 29th at least.  A Spoonbill dropped in on the 9th and 10th and the East Tilbury…

  • Dungeness & Lydden Senior Site Manager job opportunity

    We are looking for somebody with energy, vision and a passion for wildlife to lead our work at Dungeness & Lydden Valley!

    Click below for more detaiils of this amazing opportunity

     

    https://app.vacancy-filler.co.uk/salescrm/Careers/CareersPage.aspx?e=LMo8nnTwYNbXxVR0B3mmmRF6QW5Vf2-SvjkyhnBg-8PhwpR3Dja5A6IoEhtWSg3OBsy1oJw6CiI&iframe=True

  • Winter Closing Hours: 9.30 am-4.30 pm

    Autumn is over and winter is coming and the reserve opening hours are now 9.30am to 4.30pm from 1 November through to the 31 January but we are still currently closed on Mondays. Sunsets this time of year can be epic...

    Picture by Howard Vaughan

    It's been nice for wildlife recently - the cattle egrets are showing nicely, wintering duck numbers are building up - and we had the Dartford Warbler showing over the weekend…

  • Optics Event 30 and 31October 21

    RSPB Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve Optics Event 30th and 31st October 21

    Some ideas...

    Are planning a Winter getaway as Covid restrictions ease?  Do you need new light weight optic to fit into your luggage. Looking for a Christmas present or just fancy treating yourself?

    Check out our range of RSPB, Opticron and Viking light weight telescopes.

    RSPB Avocet 50mm Compact scope

    This truly compact and fully waterproof birdwatching…

  • Old Hall Marsh car park closure - tomorrow 26 October

    Just a reminder - the reserve car park at Old Hall Marshes (Maldon) will be closed tomorrow Tuesday 26 October for important resurfacing work to the car park and access track, apologies for any inconvenience.

    (Image - Andy Hay rspb-images.com)

  • Old Hall Marsh - car park closure 26 October 2021

    Please be aware the reserve car park at Old Hall Marshes (Maldon) will be closed on Tuesday 26 October for important resurfacing work to the car park and access track, apologies for any inconvenience.

    (Image - Andy Hay http://rspb-images.com)

  • A touch of autumn

    With largely westerly air flow autumn migration has been quite slow in recent weeks but in recent days the first Redwings, Bramblings, Siskins and Lesser Redpolls have been noted and there are more Grey Wagtail, Meadow Pipits and Skylarks around.  Scandinavian Rock Pipits and Water Pipits are now back for the winter in small numbers and Stonechats have materialised including the weird white throated male that was here…

  • Bicycle hire - not available 5.10.21

    Hi everyone,

    Just to let you know that the bicycles will not be available to hire on Tuesday 5 October, they have already been hired for the day!

    You can always bring your own bicycles to explore the riverwall section of the reserve - or ask us about hiring bikes on another day!

  • Information about closure of certain areas of the reserve

    We’re thrilled to be welcoming groups of visiting school children once again, where they can begin to return to some normality, with the help of nature and our stunning reserve.
      (rspb-images.com)
    To help keep everyone safe during school visits we will be closing some areas of the reserve. We recognise that some of you might not be comfortable around large groups yet so, here’s the lowdown on when you’re likely…
  • Vacancies in the Greater Thames

    We’re looking for passionate and dedicated people to join us in making a Greener Thames.

    The Greater Thames Estuary is fantastic for wildlife but it’s under threat.

    The RSPB are embarking on helping to create A Greener Thames, with a programme of landscape-scale restoration and enhancement projects across the Greater Thames Estuary working alongside partners including Kent Wildlife Trust, Essex Wildlife…

  • Shop Stock Take September 23

    Afternoon all 

    Just a quick heads up that the Shop will be closed tomorrow as we undertake our annual Stock Take.

    Sorry for any in convenience caused.

    The trails and cafe will be open 930am to 5pm as normal.

  • Cafe closed Wednesday 15 September 2021

    Due to unforeseen circumstances the Rainham Marshes Café will remain closed today. We apologise for any inconvenience.

    . . .

    If you do explore today keep an eye our for bearded tits, cattle egret, little egret, marsh harrier and more!

  • Wildlife Highlights - 12 September 2021

    Guest blog by Pat, one of our volunteers. He's written up all of the wildlife that he saw today!
    RSPB Rainham Marshes - Sunday 12th September
    Highlights:- Pintail, Water Rail, 40 Avocet, Lapwing, 2 Curlew, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, 2 Ruff, 3 Snipe, Yellow-legged Gull, Spoonbill, Cattle Egret, 2 Great White Egret, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrel, 2 Hobby, Peregrine, 5 Bearded Tit, Sand Martin, Swallow, Cetti…
  • Wildlife - Friday 10th September 2021

    Rainham Marshes volunteer Pat has written up all the wildlife he saw yesterday! 
    RSPB Rainham Marshes - Friday 10th September
    Highlights:- Water Rail, 30 Avocet, Lapwing, 1 Curlew, 100+ Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff, 7 Snipe, Yellow-legged Gull, 1 Cattle Egret, 2 Great White Egret, Sparrowhawk, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, 3 Hobby, 1 Peregrine, 4 Bearded Tit, 9 Swallow, Cetti's Warbler, Chiffchaff, Reed Warbler, Blackcap…
  • Want to bring you school to Rainham - free coaches!

    Urgent help needed to spend some money!

    Do you know a teacher/school who would like to bring their class on a school trip to Rainham but can't afford the coach prices? The Land of the Fanns School Travel Fund needs to be claimed before next March so please share with anyone you know who is involved in education! https://www.landofthefanns.org/school-travel-fund/ 

    #SchoolTripsareBack

  • Wildlife Highlights - Friday 3 September 2021

    RSPB Rainham Marshes - Friday 3 September 2021 from volunteer Pat!
    Highlights:- 3 Egyptian Goose, 6 Swift, 21 Avocet, Lapwing, 2 Golden Plover, 1 Curlew, 122 Black-tailed Godwit, 1 Ruff, 4 Dunlin, 11 Snipe, Caspian Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, 2 Common Tern, 1 Spoonbill, 1 Cattle Egret, 2 Great White Egret, Honey-Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Kestrel, 3 Hobby, 6 Bearded Tit, 4 Sand Martin, Cetti's Warbler, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff…
  • Cattle egrets - showing nicely.

    Hi everyone,

    Cattle and little egrets have been showing quite nicely over the last few days, so I thought it was a good time to post some details about the two so you can tell them apart!

    Cattle egret are slightly smaller but much rarer than the little egret, cattle egrets are visiting the UK in increasing numbers (although wintering numbers are only about 100 in the UK). They often spend time close to livestock and…

  • The magic of migration

    On the 11th August Russ Sherriff saw and photographed a juvenile Wheatear on the reserve.
    It was ringed with a metal BTO ring (AFL2953) & a red colour (CRI) one too which proves it was caught Calf of Man Bird Observatory just 16 days earlier on the 26th July. That's 443km in 16 days! A brief stop on the way south to Africa and it is just a few weeks old!
  • Some warm insect days around the Centre

    With the odd spell of actually pleasant weather there was the opportunity to find some more inverts around Reception at work and trying to educate the visiting public about just how amazing leaving a patch of grass to run wild in the garden can be.

    The ‘left patches’ around the play area have several Wasp Spiders nestled away in their little open pockets in the sward.  People always seem amazing that the spider…

  • The last few days... 3rd-6th August 2021

    Just a quick sightings post!

    A Great White Egret was knocking about the marsh up until Wednesday and there has been a slow trickle of waders starting to move through.  The Target pool and Purfleet Scrape still have water which is great and hopefully we shall have a good autumn to come.

    Great White Egret - John Humble

    and the highlights from yesterday...

    Friday 6th August 2021
    • RSPB Rainham Marshes:- 3 Avocet, 43 Lapwing…
  • Summer Holidays at Rainham Marshes (August 2021)

    This summer your adventure starts with us - explore the reserve and have a fabulous family adventure.

    . . .

      Wild in the Woods - picture by Louise Moss

    What's on this summer? We have a Wild in the Woods - a Forest School inspired event for 18 month olds - 8 years!

    Forest School inspired activity aims to inspire children through nature, building their confidence and self esteem and encouraging individual growth.