A trip to Rainham Marsh RSPB Reserve yesterday in what looked to be good light. However, upon arrival the clouds darkened and a few drops of rain as I left the car. After a breakfast in their good cafe on to the circular walk, that includes 4 hides and plenty of vantage points. From the Purfleet Hide a jack snipe and immaculately plumaged drake pintail along with the regular lapwings, redshanks, canada geese and greylags. Teals, mallards, gadwall and shoveler were in good number, too.
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| lapwing mobbing a pheasant |
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| A very tufted duck in breezy conditions |
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| mute swan |
My attention was caught by a kerfuffle of lapwings mobbing something on the ground. This transpired to be a male pheasant that had clearly wandered into their nesting territory. Behind this, a cattle egret and more of the same wildfowl. The Butts Hide often offers the best opportunity for birds, but, apart from several drake pochard and tufted duck, nothing new until 2 sand martin flew past, my first of the year. A single yellow wagtail, brilliant yellow, emerged from the undergrowth for a few seconds before disappearing from view. Further along the north trail, 2 ringed plover and a reed bunting. A sedge warbler sang and many cetti's warbler called, but just mute swan, greylag and mallard from the last hide. Into the willow area where chiffchaffs sang before returning to the Visitors' Centre for a coffee and the journey home.
A lovely 3 hour wander, even though the hoped for migrants were low in numbers. The grey skies persisted for the whole walk, consequently, no photos of any merit, just a few here as illustrations. Many birds are frequently distant at Rainham so not the best reserve for photography.
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| Little grebe |
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| chiffchaff |
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| chiffchaff |
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