Browse by Tags

My alarm goes off at 4am. I desperately want to turn it off. Then suddenly I remember why it's set so early. I can already hear the twitter and chatter of birds waking up outside and I start to get excited. This morning I'm getting up and getting out to listen to one of the most amazing sounds...

The RSPB South Essex Visitor Centre will be open every day over Christmas except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day. On Boxing Day and New Years Day we are running Christmas Walks to help burn off those extra calories gained over Christmas lunch. Find out more on our events...

Come and see the winter wonders with the RSPB at the London Gateway's new Stanford Wharf Nature Reserve. Overlooking the Thames Estuary, and located right next to one of the best sites in the country for wintering birds, visitors to this exciting new reserve will be in for quite a treat. But don't...

The RSPB is making waves in South Essex … by allowing the waters of the Thames to flood an area of farmland, thus creating a brand new nature reserve. And being located right next to one of the best sites in the country for wintering birds, visitors to this exciting new reserve will be in for...

Lots of these Great Green Bush Crickets currently on our Bowers Marsh reserve, why not join tomorrow's 'Sneak Preview' guided walk which starts at 10.30 am. Call 01268 498621 to book a place. The Great Green Bush Cricket is the largest insect found in England and can only be found in limited...

Do you know someone who is interested in a future in conservation? Or who loves doing hands on practical work and being in the great outdoors? Or who is looking for a new idea and some work experience? If so please let them know about our exciting opportunity....Warden Days with the RSPB! Warden Days...

The school holidays are in full swing - how will you be spending yours? If you're looking for something to do with your family come along to our Visitor Centre in Wat Tyler Park. We will have a craft table available every day and today & tomorrow we will be running 2 hour bookable Discovery Sessions...

Bring your family, friends and a picnic, and join in the Big Lunch event taking place on Sunday, June 3 at our West Canvey Marsh reserve between 12.30 and 4pm. Free entry, although there will be a small charge for some activities and should you wish to purchase tea/coffee, ice creams or cupcakes. ...

What a great day out! Our Youth Nature Officers should be extremely proud of themselves, I know we all are in south Essex. The weather was kind to us, the inflattables were a big draw for the children and even allowed some of us adults to find our childish side! Our Phoenix club once again proved...

Kicking off the festival season is the eagerly anticipated Step Up Festival It’s nearly the start of summer and that can only mean one thing – it’s festival season! This brand new event taking place on Saturday 14 April in the heart of Essex will have live music, adult-friendly...

Transport was the theme of Little Owls Club this month. In the photo you can see the group testing out boats that they have made in our paddling pools. The children also got to see a tractor up close, flew planes across the field, and raced cars down the slope in our Discovery Zone. Next months Little...

If you think the UK is cold in winter, try growing up in the Arctic! For us brent geese, coming to the UK in winter is definitely a 'summer' holiday! We leave our breeding grounds in the chilly North (where subzero tempertatures are standard), and head over to the UK in our family groups. And...

This month our Little Owls group enjoyed a morning of worldwide exploration. They travelled to America to discover the Statue of Liberty, flew to Mexico where they created Aztec headdresses, crossed the Atlantic to Botswana to make tribal jewellery & music, made their way up to India following a...

The Little Owls Club met today at the RSPB Discovery Zone in Wat Tyler Park for 2 hours of fun nature based activities. This months theme was Space and the children learnt all about planets & stars through games, song & craft. In the picture the group can be seen making a mural of the nights...

Caterpillars and butterflies were the theme of this month’s Little Owls Club which was, as always, great fun for everyone involved. The children did a variety of craft activities, listened to the story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar, danced with their butterflies in the garden, and even got to...

I love this time of the year, everytime you go outside, there is something new to see or hear. I stopped briefly at a local wood on the way home from Wat Tyler, and the woodland flowers are looking great with wood anemone and bluebells now starting to appear. At Wat Tyler this week I heard my first cuckoo...

Now is a great time to get to grips with the three warbler species that breed in or close to the reedbeds at Wat Tyler. Our resident cetti's warblers are now being joined by the summering sedge and reed warblers. Cetti's warbler a small, rather nondescript bird, Cetti's warbler (pronounced...

Monday 28th March: Walk for health 12.30 pm - 1 pm Get fit with a bracing lunchtime walk around Wat Tyler Park. A regular brisk 30-minute walk to improve your fitness in peaceful surroundings. Free event no need to book. Location: RSPB Visitor Centre, Wat Tyler Park, Pitsea Hall Lane, Basildon SS16 4UH...

Had our first returning summer migrant last Friday, a stunning male wheatear on West Canvey Marsh. The males tend to arrive a week or two before the females, probably to set-up their breeding territory, ours was passing through on his way further north. At Wat Tyler Country Park up to three ruff can...

The bittern which has taken up residence on Vange Marsh, continues to be seen albeit briefly in flight over the eastern reedbed. This bird takes some patience to see, but it is well worth putting the effort in. Probably the best place to look from is the raised path to the viewing screen, here you will...

There have been some large flocks of white-fronted geese seen over the last few days in Essex. Yesterday morning, approx 60 flew over Wat Tyler Country Park from Vange Wick heading towards Bowers Marsh. Also seen were, 2 grey plover , 2 avocet and 4 dunlin in the creek while an adult winter Mediterranean...

Bearded tits , surely would be better named moustached tits, as the stunning males have black moustaches rather than beards. Numbers have increased locally during November. This week seven were seen at Wat Tyler Country Park, in the reeds near the new boardwalk at the southern end of the park. A pair...

Join us this November for your chance to buy this years RSPB Christmas cards. Enjoy a slice of locally baked homemade cake and a hot drink as you look through a selection of seasonal RSPB goods. There will be a wide range of cards and gifts on offer with prices to suit all pockets and don’t...

Yesterday was the last day of our 'Date With Nature' event, watching the dark-bellied brent geese at Leigh-on-Sea. During the 19 days we spent on Victoria Wharf, we would like to thank the 1800 visitors who came along and spent time with us watching this annual spectacle. And a special Thank...

Why not join us in our Discovery Zone this weekend for Feed the Birds Week to Thurdsay, October 28 followed by Halloween for Spooky Kids from Friday October 29 to Sunday, October 31? Here's what we'll be doing.