About

Our Café and shop will be permanently closing from the end of Sunday 2 February. The Reserve, Car park and Toilets remain open 9.30am - 5pm.

Shooting Butts Hide will be closed to the public until further notice, following significant vandalism, as we carry out the extensive work that will need to be done to repair the damage.

Not far from the bustling streets of London, Rainham Marshes is a haven for all kinds of wildlife – birds, Water Voles, dragonflies and more. Even if you can’t visit Rainham Marshes in person, you can still soak up some of the peace and quiet of the reserve by taking a moment to listen to the dawn or evening chorus on our RSPB YouTube page.

Rainham Marshes is carefully managed to make sure it has the perfect conditions for its wildlife. We graze cattle and manage water levels to create a patchwork of clumpy wet grassland and semi-permanent pools. This is the ideal habitat for marshland birds such as Lapwings and Redshanks as well as for wintering wildfowl, waders and some birds of prey. The ditches are also looked after to help Water Voles, reptiles, amphibians and minibeasts thrive.

Some areas of the tall grass and scrub are left unmanaged to provide ideal hunting grounds for wintering Short-eared Owls as well as nesting sites for Reed Buntings. We take special care of some of our sandy areas, where some of our specialist insect life likes to live.

 

At a glance

See what’s here
RSPB Rainham Marshes, Essex, March 2023
RSPB Rainham Marshes
Events at Rainham Marshes

Discover exciting events all year at Rainham Marshes. Join us for a variety of guided walks.

Linnet perched in scrub at RSPB Rainham Marshes
Linnet perched in scrub
Want to check the weather?

The link below supplies the weather data for Rainham Marshes!

Save nature while you staycation

Holidaycottages.co.uk is working with the RSPB to restore UK woodland for future generations to enjoy. Every booking with Holidaycottages.co.uk supports woodland restoration projects at key RSPB reserves around the country, protecting the wildlife that makes the UK an extraordinary place for a holiday.

New to Holidaycottages.co.uk portfolio of handpicked self-catering holiday cottages is the Showcase Collection: Near RSPB Reserves. At these extraordinary homes, immerse yourself in the diverse landscapes of RSPB reserves and get up close to some of the UK’s most cherished native wildlife.

Contact Rainham Marshes