June 12th - midsummer at Rainham

After missing the entire spring at Rainham Marshes due to the Covid-19 lockdown I finally managed to get in a visit on June 12th, almost three months since my last visit. I got up in the middle of the night (or so it seemed) to travel ahead of the rush hour and arrived at Rainham West at 06.30. It was great to be back and there was a lot of catching up to do.

All the summer visitors were in but the passage migrants had already gone through as it was now that short period between spring and autumn. The first warbler I heard singing was Blackcap, but that was the only one I heard. Common Whitethroats were abundant and as I walked along the path I began to hear the occasional Reed Warbler. I also heard a couple of Sedge Warblers but there was no sign of any Groppers so that might be one I’ve missed this year. Despite the long drought during spring, the verges were luxuriant so there must have been more rain here last week than where I live.

Common Whitethroat

Linnet

Giant Hogweed

I passed the new bridge to nowhere and then headed down to the Concrete Barges where I heard my first Cuckoo of the year, my main target bird today. The tide was pretty much in so there were lots of gulls on the jetty but they all seemed to be Herring Gulls of various ages. A few Common Terns flew past on the river and a Peregrine bombed over towards Kent but otherwise it was fairly quiet. Some of the pirate signs have fallen to bits but Captain Red was looking rather resplendent.

It was quite misty looking down the river beyond Aveley Bay but on the near bank I found a Ringed Plover, presumably a very late north-bound migrant. There were a few Avocets and Redshank around and I heard an Oystercatcher. I headed round to Serin Mound to look over Wennington Marshes where a pair of Marsh Harrier were flying around as well another female.

I then walked eastwards along the river wall so I could look over the reserve. Three distant white blobs eventually revealed themselves as Little Egrets and a Common Buzzard circled over one of the pylons. Huge flocks of Starlings gathered in the bushes but I couldn’t find any pink ones amongst them. Normally by the time I reach the visitor centre I stop for a coffee and a rest but with the reserve still closed I headed off home instead before the rain that was forecast started.