An Early Spring Visit to Rainham Marshes

26th August 2018

Not the best of days weather-wise with the early morning sunny intervals scheduled to be followed with overcast skies, but time to see if there was any sign of Spring. Settled on an anti-clockwise route today and had only got as far as the adventure playground when Spring had sprung with a lovely patch of Coltsfoot, which was also being enjoyed by my first Comma of the year

The Cordite Stores produced the first singing Chiffchaff, alongside one of Rainham's friendly Robins.

At this time of the year the Ken Barrett Hide should be renamed the Greylag Goose display pool, as the only other residents were a pair of Gadwall.

No Beardies at the Dragonfly Pools, and in fact the only bird present was this rather resplendent drake Pochard with its piercing red eye.

Similarly no sign of any Kingfishers at the MDZ, so sadly it looks as though they have abandoned the nest bank for the second year running. The only birds here today were this Little Grebe in its own reflection pool and a drake Tufted Duck in summer breeding attire complete with water droplets.

And finally we arrived at the Purfleet Hide in rather poor light, but couldn't resist a couple of shots othe drake Shoveler and Pintail that were feeding quite close by.

So certainly the first signs of Spring, although not on a particulary Spring-like day.