11th MARCH 2007.
RSPB RAINHAM MARSHES, VISIT ONE.
Only opened to the public fairly recently (although accessible to a few lucky people) this was a site that I personally was itching to get to see. The others in our little party were, I think, just as keen!
Terry and Liz turned up a little early for our 08:00 meet and waited patiently for Leon and myself to appear. They didn’t have long to wait! We had arranged to leave at this time so that there might be a chance of breakfast somewhere along the way as the reserve doesn’t open until 09:30. We were to be in luck as we arrived in good time and there is a splendid café, ‘Rosinas’ Café’ just before you get to the main gate. This café is open seven days a week from 06:00 to 16:00! The food was good and reasonably priced; we filled up and were set for the day!
RSPB RAINHAM MARSHES, VISIT ONE.
Only opened to the public fairly recently (although accessible to a few lucky people) this was a site that I personally was itching to get to see. The others in our little party were, I think, just as keen!
Terry and Liz turned up a little early for our 08:00 meet and waited patiently for Leon and myself to appear. They didn’t have long to wait! We had arranged to leave at this time so that there might be a chance of breakfast somewhere along the way as the reserve doesn’t open until 09:30. We were to be in luck as we arrived in good time and there is a splendid café, ‘Rosinas’ Café’ just before you get to the main gate. This café is open seven days a week from 06:00 to 16:00! The food was good and reasonably priced; we filled up and were set for the day!
THE NEW RSPB CENTRE, RAINHAMPhoto: Reg Norman
AT THE WOODLAND FEEDER
Having arrived at the site and parked up, we made our way into the new Environment and Education Centre. This is an unusual building of modern design; we couldn’t decide whether or not we liked it, though none disliked it! It does not only look modern, it has been designed to be environmentally ‘friendly’ with its energy-saving technology. The staff here were brilliant, almost falling over themselves in their attempts to be helpful! We asked for a site map and were immediately shown areas where we might see different things and what to look out for as we went around the different areas.
AT THE WOODLAND FEEDERPhoto: Terry Burton
LOOKING BACK TO THE 'WOODLAND'
Leaving the new Centre we made our way, anti-clockwise around the site, towards the ‘Woodland Discovery Zone’. This area, like many others, is nowhere near complete yet but you can get a good idea of how it will appear in years to come. There were quite a few woodland birds in the area; we saw many and heard a lot more! The paths and wooden walkways were impressive; there is great access for able-bodied as well as less able people. Following the ‘Woodland Walk’ path we eventually came to a feeder area which was well thought-out and generously supplied with different types of food. There didn’t seem to be many birds about but we sat on the bench provided and waited. We didn’t have to wait long! As soon as we had stopped moving about the birds started to show themselves, hiding again as people passed by. We stayed here for almost twenty minutes before moving on towards the ’Aveley Hide’.
LOOKING BACK TO THE 'WOODLAND'Photo: Reg Norman
OLD NUMBERED BUTTS
The woodlands were left behind us and reedbeds and small pools dotted with Willow was the predominant landscape; the bends and turns in the paths opening up new vistas as we moved along. We were scanning these reedbeds quite thoroughly as we had heard there was a chance of seeing a Penduline Tit. The people at the Centre said that it had not been seen for about a week but now that the wind had eased they might still be seen! As we moved along flocks of both Teal and Lapwing suddenly took off sparking hopes of a raptor sighting. Nothing was seen however even though there must have been fifty pairs of eyes scanning he sky! Leon, the ‘Raptor King’, was soon to change our luck though; as usual he spotted a bird long before anybody else. He had seen a Sparrowhawk sat in on old (dead?) tree; how he saw it I do not know. The birds’ camouflage was good; even where the shade of the branch above him, where it cut across the bird, added to the difficulty of seeing him. People, as is usual, were drawn to the bird by the fact of us focussing on it. We were all treated to a lengthy view of this beautiful bid before it suddenly flew off, just below reed height, towards the feeder. He must not have been seen until the very last minute and a small cloud of birds dispersed in all directions as he arrived, We did not see if he was successful or not.
OLD NUMBERED BUTTSPhoto: Reg Norman
WATER PIPIT SEEN ON FENCE HERE
The ‘Aveley Hide’ seems to have been made out of a container of the type used on lorries. I must say that they have wonderful seating and the shelves are generous, plenty big enough for all sorts of kit. We spent quite some time in the hide, getting some very good views of many birds across the ‘Aveley Flash’. As with all birding crowds that I have come across so far, the mob inside the hide were both friendly and helpful.
Moving on we were scanning the larger reedbeds that ran between the pathway and the railway. We never saw a single rain all day even though it was marked ‘Channel Tunnel Rail Link’! Again we were not to see the Penduline Tit but we were drawn to a crowd of ‘birders’ watching an industrial yard containing some heavy plant. It was kindly pointed out to us that there was a Black Redstart showing intermittently. We stayed for a short time and were rewarded with some short, but quite good sightings. Terry had whipped his ‘scope out and had set it up to cover the area where the bird appeared most often and had zoomed in on it. His usual generous self he offered Leon and I a chance to view it. Leon had a fabulous time watching the bird for a while and then relinquished the ‘scope to me with a dismissive,”It’s gone now!” Cheers, mate!
Moving on we were scanning the larger reedbeds that ran between the pathway and the railway. We never saw a single rain all day even though it was marked ‘Channel Tunnel Rail Link’! Again we were not to see the Penduline Tit but we were drawn to a crowd of ‘birders’ watching an industrial yard containing some heavy plant. It was kindly pointed out to us that there was a Black Redstart showing intermittently. We stayed for a short time and were rewarded with some short, but quite good sightings. Terry had whipped his ‘scope out and had set it up to cover the area where the bird appeared most often and had zoomed in on it. His usual generous self he offered Leon and I a chance to view it. Leon had a fabulous time watching the bird for a while and then relinquished the ‘scope to me with a dismissive,”It’s gone now!” Cheers, mate!
WATER PIPIT SEEN ON FENCE HEREPhoto: Reg Norman
REGULAR SIZED FROGS
We gave up on seeing the Penduline Tit and made our way to the area overlooking the ‘Target pools’. This is a very expansive area and a ‘scope would be recommended to see the most distant birds. It was here that we saw our first Heron of the day; we had been quite surprised earlier that we had not seen one all day.
The Skylarks in this area were putting on a wonderful display; the air was full of their song and it was very easy to se them as the slowly ascended into the clear blue sky. It was truly a lovely day, cloudless sky, warm although with a slight wind coming from the river. I am sure that the birds were singing for the pure joy of it!
We were to get a ‘first’ as we walked along the old rifle ranges towards ‘Reedbed Discovery Zone’; another area unfinished but taking shape. You could certainly see what has been envisaged and I hope sincerely that it all works out the way it has been planned. Liz was the first to spot the bird and quickly pointed it out to the rest of us. At first I thought that it was a Meadow Pipit but soon realised that it was not. After much discussion we all agreed that we had seen our first Water Pipit! Having settled on its’ type we set to watching it. Typical! It flew a way in the direction of the river and vanished! Next time I will watch the new bird until it leaves; you live and learn!
The Skylarks in this area were putting on a wonderful display; the air was full of their song and it was very easy to se them as the slowly ascended into the clear blue sky. It was truly a lovely day, cloudless sky, warm although with a slight wind coming from the river. I am sure that the birds were singing for the pure joy of it!
We were to get a ‘first’ as we walked along the old rifle ranges towards ‘Reedbed Discovery Zone’; another area unfinished but taking shape. You could certainly see what has been envisaged and I hope sincerely that it all works out the way it has been planned. Liz was the first to spot the bird and quickly pointed it out to the rest of us. At first I thought that it was a Meadow Pipit but soon realised that it was not. After much discussion we all agreed that we had seen our first Water Pipit! Having settled on its’ type we set to watching it. Typical! It flew a way in the direction of the river and vanished! Next time I will watch the new bird until it leaves; you live and learn!
REGULAR SIZED FROGSPhoto: Reg Norman
A VERY, VERY LARGE FROG
The next area that we moved to, yet again unfinished, was called the ‘Marshland Discovery Zone’. These ‘Zones’ really are large projects and, once again, I can only wish them the very best of luck in there efforts; the finished articles should be resources to be proud of. As we walked along in this area we noticed a great number of frogs ‘getting to know each other’ in the shallows on either side of the walkway. They all appeared to be (apart from the previous activity!) basking in the sunshine which by now had reached about 17c! We next came upon an enormous creature; I was sure it was a very large toad but now that I have seen Terrys’ wonderful close up photograph I am not so sure! All I know is that it was about five or six inches long, maybe more!
A VERY, VERY LARGE FROGPhoto: Terry Burton
ALONG THE SEA WALL
As we walked along the path back to the Centre itself, we could see the herd of cows helping to maintain the landscape with their grazing. Liz spotted a small bird and let us know straight away. Leon quickly homed in on it and pronounced it to be a Reed Bunting. This is why he is known as the ‘Raptor King’! It was a Stonechat!
We stopped for some refreshments at the Centre and then moved on to the seawall where we were told we might see some waders and sea birds. We were unlucky as there were no waders and very few others apart from a few gulls in the distance and a lone Cormorant! It was a nice walk though and on another day who knows what you might see!
On the way back to the car we stopped for some more coffee and then made our way home. Terry kindly dropped us at ’the office’ where we had lots to talk about!
We stopped for some refreshments at the Centre and then moved on to the seawall where we were told we might see some waders and sea birds. We were unlucky as there were no waders and very few others apart from a few gulls in the distance and a lone Cormorant! It was a nice walk though and on another day who knows what you might see!
On the way back to the car we stopped for some more coffee and then made our way home. Terry kindly dropped us at ’the office’ where we had lots to talk about!
ALONG THE SEA WALLPhoto: Reg Norman
BIRDS SEEN: Goldfinch, Coot, Moorhen, Shoveller, Black Headed Gull, Mallard, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Wigeon, Teal, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Skylark, Reed Bunting, Feral Pigeon, Lapwing, Gadwall, Mute Swan, Wren, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Blackbird, Carrion Crow, Dunnock, Sparrowhawk, Shelduck, Pintail, Canada Goose, Tufted Duck, Common Snipe, Little Egret, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Little Grebe, Black Redstart, Water Pipit, Heron, Stonechat, Cormorant, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Collared Dove, Starling, Robin.
