Rainham and Beam Valley

Saturday April 22nd

Today turned out to be a monumental day at Rainham Marshes, just the sort of migrant-packed day that I really enjoy. It started well as I heard a Grasshopper Warbler reeling away on Rainham West. Walking around the riverside path of the tip produced three singing Corn Buntings - it's good to know that they're doing well at this site. A few Whimbrel were seen in Aveley Bay and flying upriver. There was also a Wheatear on the riverwall.

Wheatear

Whimbrel

I entered the reserve and walked through the woodland which was fairly quiet. I stopped to look for the Barn Owl but it wasn't at home today, however there was a Nightingale singing from a nearby bush, an unexpected bonus. On my way back from Ken Barrett hide it had shut up much to the disappointment of a small crowd that had gathered there.

I decided to have lunch on a picnic table by the climbing boulders which proved to be an inspired choice. My lunch was interrupted by a commotion going on over the reserve and a few seconds later an Osprey appeared above the trees. It was being mobbed by several birds and in an effort to get away it flew my way and went directly overhead.

Common Buzzard and Osprey

Osprey

Osprey is one of my favourite birds and is a good bird to find on migration; it was also the first one I've seen at Rainham. Fortunately it was seen by quite a few other birders around the reserve. I carried on around the reserve, seeing a Hobby and a distant Red Kite to add to the raptor list (which finished on seven species). I headed back to Serin Mound for another look and found a Bar-tailed Godwit and then made my way back home, having walked over 11 miles and seen a total of 86 species. I hope there'll be another good day like this during the rest of spring.

Site 65: Beam Parklands, April 24th

I hadn't heard of this site until recently when I was researching the Dagenham area; it's part of the Dagenham Corridor. It also seems to have gone under the radar of most local birders as well as there's only a few visits recorded on eBird. It's my closest large green space as it's only a 15 minute walk from home. There's several access points to the area between New Road and Rainham Road South; I entered via Oval Road North at the southwestern end and walked a clockwise loop. 

The numbers represent display boards

It's a large river valley with plenty of trees, scrub and open grassland. There's a very good network of paths and local information boards. Over by the river I heard a Cuckoo calling and a Little Egret flew over. 

River Beam

On the return route I found a path that heads east over another river and to a large open area (not marked on the info boards) that may be an old landfill as there's a hill in the middle. I wandered around this area where there were several Skylarks singing and two Wheatears. 

Wheatear

I walked back along the southern most path past a lake with a pair of nesting Swans and exited onto Ballards Lane. I recorded 43 species in two and half hours and will aim to visit this area regularly.

Lake at southern end

Goldfinch

Grey Heron

Common Whitethroat