This month typically sees the first 'proper' autumn migration with many warblers on the move along with flycatchers, wagtails & pipits and an increase in waders.
Rainham Marshes
I managed only seven visits this month, fewer than I had expected but a couple of heatwaves put paid to more visits. I'd missed Wood Sandpiper a couple of times already this year and this is the best month to see one so I was pleased to find three on Aug 19th on the newly-named Small Aveley Pool. They hung around for the rest of the month with up to five birds seen.
 |
| Wood Sandpiper |
 |
| 2 Wood Sands & a Black-tailed Godwit |
This pool proved to be a magnet for waders during the second half of August with two Ruff, Green Sandpiper, Little Ringed Plover and a flock of Black-tailed Godwits all present.
Two more year birds were seen, a Whinchat on the tip and a family party of five Spotted Flycatchers at the end of the woodland.
 |
| Spotted Flycatcher |
The 19th ended up being a really good day as not longer after finding the Wood Sands I saw a White Stork circling low over the reserve. It had been seen a couple of days earlier but was seen flying off. I was pretty sure I'd seen it in a field just north of the railway lines while I was on the train to Purfleet.
 |
| White Stork |
This is the fourth White Stork I've seen at Rainham and it has become an annual visitor to the reserve. This individual was ringed so was probably one of the reintroduced Knepp birds but as they're breeding there now I believe they should all be countable.
Among the various butterflies and dragonflies on site, there were a few Clouded Yellows and an obliging Wall but I still haven't managed to catch up with the Brown Hairstreaks yet.
 |
| Wall butterfly |
Dagenham Chase & Beam Valley
I visited 13 times but didn't see a great deal. Losing all the water in The Slack has really reduced the attraction of the site this autumn. I spent a lot of time searching the scrubby areas for flycatchers but didn't manage to find any.
I also went to Beam Parklands six times and despite the burnt areas grassing over and looking suitable for migrants, didn't manage to record anything notable.
Other Locations
I managed to visit a few other sites in August: Barking Riverside & Bay (as it's now called on eBird), Becton Creekside, Tylers Common (where a Red-backed Shrike disappeared 20 minutes before I arrived!) and Wanstead Flats (where most of the interesting migrants had left overnight).
 |
| Ruddy Darter, Becton |
I also had a couple of trips out of London, down to Oare Marshes in Kent to see the regular Bonaparte's Gull and on a Seabird Safari across Biscay for cetaceans and seabirds.
 |
| Bonaparte's Gull, Oare |
 |
| Spoonbill, Oare |
