Rainham Marsh Visit

reed bunting

Set off this morning for Rainham Marsh RSPB Reserve, my first visit here this year. Having negotiated the M11 and the M25 I arrived just as the reserve and visitors' centre was opening at 9.30. Off on a clockwise wander around the reserve, a walk of around 3 miles.
I was surprised to see ice upon the open water as the temperature was rising as the day progressed. Coots and mallards walked across this as a large flock of wigeon and lapwings rose from the fields. Into the Purfleet Hide, but little of note, a distant pintail pair so I moved on. Outside, a male stonechat in brambles and the familiar pinging call as a solitary bearded reedling flew over, heading towards the targets and down into the reeds.

greylag geese

coot

Meadow pipit

same meadow pipit

Wigeon

The Marshland hide didn't give up too much either so I continued. On the Target Pools plenty of shoveler, teal, more pintail and numerous wigeon. Several curlews called, as did a pair of redshanks. Into the main hide where the water and marsh in front gave up more views of the same. Several casualties of the extreme weather: A coot in one of the drains near the Marshland hide and what looked like a canada goose in the middle of the reserve. Gulls, mainly black headed and common were on the list as I headed towards the Ken Barrett hide, where just a few wildfowl were seen. A water rail squealed from reeds as I approached the Cordite where great, blue and long tailed tits were seen. A great spotted woodpecker drummed as a green woodpecker called. A male linnet sang from a bramble before I found myself back at the centre. In total, not too much seen but a wonderful walk, with the bearded reedling being a year lister.

Looking north east from the Shooting butts hide. Mainly wigeon

drake wigeon

More wigeon

male linnet

drake teal from Ken Barrett hide

Species list:

1. mute swan
2. greylag goose
3. canada goose
4. shelduck
5. mallard
6. pintail
7. shoveler
8. wigeon
9. teal
10. tufted duck
11. pheasant
12. water rail (heard)
13. moorhen
14. coot
15. lapwing
16. dunlin
17. redshank
18. curlew
19. black headed gull
20. common gull
21. herring gull
22. lesser black backed gull
23. wood pigeon
24. collared dove
25. green woodpecker
26. great spotted woodpecker
27. skylark
28. meadow pipit
29. wren
30. dunnock
31. robin
32. stonechat
33. redwing
34. fieldfare
35. blackbird
36. cetti's warbler
37. great tit
38. blue tit
39. long tailed tit
40. bearded reedling
41. magpie
42. jackdaw
43. carrion crow
44. starling
45. house sparrow
46. chaffinch
47. linnet
48. goldfinch
49. reed bunting

Pair of shoveler

Distant drake pintail