Sorry been away for a few days so lets catch up:
Friday 27 saw a miserable day with north easterly winds up the Thames which actually meant a fantastic day to spend looking at the river from our convenient visitor center balcony... shame I was on my way to Norfolk!
Anyway the haul of terns and gulls was impressive and even a Great Skua made it up to harry the tern!
Great Skua (Dominic Mitchell www.birdingetc.com)
Kittiwake, 2 Little Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, 300 Common Tern, 9 Arctic Tern, 19 Sandwich Tern, 3 Little Terns, 4 Black Tern along with a a good selection of waders: 3 Green Sandpipers, 17 Ringed Plover, 8 Dunlin, 3 Sanderling, 6 Black-tailed Godwits. A male Common Scoter was also seen on the river and the Cattle Egret was still out on Aveley Marsh. Also seen were Garganey, Buzzard, Hobby, Swift, 4 Yellow Wagtails, 6 Wheatears, 2 Lesser Whitethroats and a Spotted Flycatcher so not a bad day at all!
Saturday was quieter but a Black-necked Grebe on the Thames was new for the year and a Knot was seen on all three days.
And today we were treated to the appearance of a flighty and elusive Ortolan Bunting (a rare visitor from southern Europe) that was found in the woodland almost exactly where one was found a day earlier in 2008!
And before you ask... yes I did come in on my day off to see it.
Amazingly that means that 190 species have been seen at Rainham Marshes already this year! Will we get to the magic 200 for the first time!
Sorry could not resist another picture of the charismatic Cattle Egret from last week (Russ Sherriff)
Hi all
Quick note. The RSPB Rainham Events page is suggesting that the Dusk Walk is tomorrow night until you open the file and it says that it is today!
Confusing I know but it is definitely tonight at 0700 till dark!
Sorry!
Have got the web team looking into it!
Wanted to do an update yesterday but just do not know where the time goes!
Anyway, it has been an interesting week with somewhat inclement weather but a good array of birds including some goodies. Check out www.elbf.co.uk for the full list for the day but undoubted highlight was the Cattle Egret that was found mid-afternoon. It showed very well from the new Shooting Butts Hide for a couple of hours in terrible rain. Hopefully it will still be around tomorrow.
Cattle Egret with Little Egret (Me)
A pale phase Arctic Skua (yes you get dark ones as well) was seen along the river as well and made for a fine end to the day.
Also this week we found a cracking meter long adult Eel in the ditch by the bus stop on Monday and I then received a stunning sequence of photographs of a Grass Snake taking a quite large Marsh Frog!
Whatever next!?
Eel (Brenda Clayton)
Dinner is served (Sula Riedlinger ) A full sequence can be seen on the ELBF website....
Things have become a little static for the moment with the westerly airflow holding back many new migrants. Ruff, Whimbrel and Avocet are still to be found and a Knot was killed and consumed by a Grey Heron on Friday morning. At least four Whinchat and a couple of Wheatears are around and a Black Redstart was seen briefly on Saturday morning.
Water Voles are still showing very well and a nice Southern Hawker was photographed.
Southern Hawker (Dave Morrison)
Water Vole (Basil Thornton)
Do not forget that the reserve is open till dusk on Thursday. The walk is fully booked but we are open for general access as well.
Another pretty good day on the reserve although strangely enough there was no sign of the White-winged Black Tern given the close call it had with death at the mercy of a local Peregrine. Also seen were 12 Little Egrets, 6 Green Sandpipers, 5 Common Sandpipers, 8 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Curlew, 6 Oystercatchers, 4 Avocet, 8 Ringed Plover, 5 Dunlin, 2 Ruff, 7 Redshank, 4 Snipe, 5 Whinchats, 4 Wheatear, 12 Yellow Wagtail, 12 Yellow-legged Gulls, m Garganey, 3000 Starling, 2 Spotted Flycatchers, 16 Whitethroat, 4 Lesser Whitethroat, 4 Blackcap, 3 Willow Warbler, 6 Chiffchaff, 35 Swallows.
... and could not resist some more tern shots!
WWBT (James Lowen)
Funnily enough the rarest bird of the day was a dinky little Goldcrest which was feeding in the wildlife garden with a Long-tailed Tit flock. This is only the second record here this year after the seriously cold winter. It even warrented a shout over the radios incase anyone was nearby!
The day ended very strangely with a gentleman bringing in a very poorly young Swift. This species is notorious for being infested with parasites but it was so skinny that I think that there was nothing left for them to drink on!
Amazing to get so close to such an enigmatic bird. It was taken to a local wildlife hospital where they were hopeful of rehabilitation.