Wheatears at Rainham Marshes

1st May 2022

Today the target species is the Wheatear which are mostly found on the river wall, so instead of going to the visitor centre I drove round to the car park at Coldharbour Lane. Despite the gloomy forecast it was quite bright with the sun trying to break through so I set off along the river wall to see what I could find.

I had hardly stepped out of the car park when I spotted a cracking male Linnet collecting feathers for its nest, and singing from the top of a Hawthorn within the car park was a Whitethroat. Well, what a cracking start!!!

There were quite a few Shelduck feeding on the mud in Aveley Bay and the incoming tide was encouraging them to change position giving a chance for a few flight shots. Also out on the mud was a lone Curlew.

An interesting sight today was eight Bar-tailed Godwits feeding on the water's edge with their mate, a single Dunlin. The two males were getting really red now.

This individual was colour-ringed so it will be interesting to see where it was ringed when I get the information back.

Then as the tide reached the bank they all flew off to their high tide roost.

Then I heard the distinctive pu-hu-hu-hu call of the Whimbrel and looked round to see two birds circling the bay. How lucky was that?

But now on to the business at hand, the search for Wheatears. There were three birds present along the wall, a male and two females, and I spent a couple of hours photographing them until the rain set in as forecast.

I just love it when a plan comes together!!