Rainham marshes 05/01/2011

Hi Folks

I was buzzing big style this morning after getting my second lot of Waxwing pics and as the sun was shining I could feel Rainham Marshes calling. I got there at 10 am and as I stepped out of the car I suddenly realised, Sunny maybe, but it was cold with with a brisk wind blowing across the reserve from the direction of the Thames. I headed around the reserve in a clockwise heading so the sun was behind me most of the way there was lots of activity around the feeders with, Sparrows, Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Blue tits and Great tits to name a few. 

As I walked on I looked across the reserve towards the Eurostar line and I saw what i could only describe as a spectacular sight a massive and i mean massive flock of Lapwings swirling in the sky, there had to be around 500+. I was watching in awe when some smaller wader type bird joined in they were smaller and looked grey on top but as they twisted they were white underneath and had swept back pointed wings they seemed as capable of twisting and turning as the Lapwings, I have since been told these were probably Ruffs.

I carried on wandering around but saw nothing until I got down to the first hide which was closed for some reason, when there a couple of Pipits flew over and dropped down into the long grass. On the water there were a couple of Male Pochard so I walked on towards the wall with the numbers on, last time I was here GrahamC spotted a Bearded Tit but no such luck today the wind was so strong and cold the small birds were few and far between.

As I approached the New Hide at the bottom end of the reserve i saw a male Shoveller and 2 females on the stream and over the stream there was loads of geese, mainly Greylag and various gulls which I am lousy at Identyifying but there was Herring, Black headed, Lesser Blackbacks and some Greater Blackbacks.

I went up in the hide to find it packed with all of those on the organised walk around the reserve so i moved on. As I went along the sun was now coming across the reserve and shining in my face and that along with the bitter wind made spotting harder. I did spot a single Stonechat and then a Kestrel but other than all the birds on the water that was it until I got up to the wooded area of the reserve. There were chaffinches Blue and Great tits and a little flock of Long Tailed Tits but I could not get a picture of them as they were all over the place.

By now the cold was beginning to get through to me now so I called it a day I was just putting the camera away when this little one came to say goodbye, along with some other pictures from today.

You can see the reflection of the flash in its eyes, real poser this bird the flash didnt scare it off.

Just part of the big flock of lapwings this photo does not do it justice.

Sorry got carried away with the lapwings ;o)

 Single little Stonechat, I could not see what it was when I took the picture due to the sun in my face.

More lapwings on the ground this time, with some gulls in the backgound

Looking across the reserve, behind that bank is the River Thames, the structure just behind the gate just beyond the water is an old Gun emplacement put there during the war to take out anything Germany sent up the river. 

Thats my day out folks.

Shane