Hi guys, This is my first Forum post!
I just wanted to briefly share with you our visit to Rainham Marshes last week, It was our first time here and I visited with my two Daughters aged seven and four.
We hired a pair Binoculars on request of my seven year old and boy are we glad we did. There was plenty to spot and we even managed to witness a Hobby diving to catch a Dragonfly on the wing which had my seven year old jumping and pointing with excitement as she got to grips with the Binoculars (I was just a bit frustrated at not having hold of them as she had by far the better view) but ultimately I was just over the moon to see my children enjoying and taking in what was all around them.
The Hides were great, the kids discovery area was brilliant, they loved it and so did I!
I would like to say a big thank you to all who make these reserves so wonderful.
We are now RSPB family members and we are proud to be! See you again soon. :-)
Hi tezza and welcome. Glad you enjoyed your visit to Rainham, it's a great site.
I am hoping to pay a visit there this week, so I look forward to some Hobby spotting. What do you thing of the classy space age type hide? it's pretty impressive don't you think.
Was there much else about there last week ???
Feed The Birds....not the cats!!!!
I know....my spelling's crap !!
Looooots of Seagulls :-P
The hide was pretty impressive although, unfortunately I have nothing to compare it to as it's the first one I've ever been in so no doubt I've been soiled by the sound of it!
A couple of Herons were around and very close to hide too! Someone claimed to have spotted a Kestrel but I suspected it may have been the hobby I noticed but who knows (I'm far from an expert)
A large flock of what I thought to be Starlings were milling around the trees and larger bushes, Lots of smaller birds which I found very difficult to identify other than the Sparrows and I thought I saw two Reed Warblers milling around though I can't be sure?
Lots of bugs and insects around as well, a large percentage of which were Dragonflies. :-)
Oh, there was a small crowd of people with telescopes etc. pitched up at the River's wall as well so no doubt they were looking for something special?
Great stuff thanks for that.
Most hides on the majority of reserves are little wooden shacks but the big modern hide at Rainham is definitely something else !!!
Damn, cant make it this week, maybe soon though.
Too bad Big Robbo. I considered going back yesterday now that the Kids are back at school after I had finished a night shift but the high winds were still around and I just didn't fancy getting blown into the Thames!
I'm busy this weekend but may go back next week now (as long as the weather is a little kinder)
Whinchats and Wheatears around the trails and lots of yellow wagtails with the cattle. We had an Osprey over this afternoon and there is a chance of almost anything! Sorry for the tardy reply!
Howard Vaughan, Information Officer