A Day at Rainham Marshes

13th December 2025

As is customary a clockwise circuit today starting with breakfast in the Purfleet Hide. Very few Wigeon today for whatever reason...................

 

........................but you can always rely on the Shovelers to put on a show. This male was having a preen........................

......................but eventually recognised me and gave me a wave.

A few Shelducks were leaving the Thames ahead of the high tide and flying in to provide a bit of flight action.

But the duck stars today were my favourite duck, the Pintail. These seem to be getting more numerous each year, not only at Rainham but everywhere.

And of course there were the hundreds of Greylag Geese which are forever flying to new feeding areas.

Always worth a slow scan of the islands in front of the hide as there are often Snipe hunkered down in the vegetation roosting inbetween feeds.

Normally the resident Grey Wagtail at the Ken Barrett Hide would be the star of the show as it parades right in front of the hide. Just look at those colours.

Today it even put on a bathing display.

But today the star of the show honour goes to the Black-tailed Godwit that was feeding just 10 yards outside the window of the Purfleet Hide

What an absolute poser!!!!!!!!!