Rainham Marshes - Marsh Warbler

So at 7.15pm i was given the green light to go over to Rainham, for both Black Tern & Marsh Warbler, but for the Black Tern, i new i was pushing my luck as it was a few hours after the news had come out, if it wasnt there i could also try and get a listen to the mimicry of the Mash Warbler from the same vantage point.

View down from Serin Mound over Hayfields towards Wennington Marsh

No Black Tern but the Marsh Warbler was singing rather well. At about 8.15pm a all 7 of us were looking down into the Hemlock / Cow Parsley, not sure which, when up popped a Marsh Warbler, for a very pleasing tickable view. Then it dropped down and nothing more apart from more mimicry for another hour and fifteen minutes before the light started to fade to much.

A Marsh Warbler courtesy of www.surfbirds.com

However we also managed the reeling of a Grasshopper Warbler to the right of serin mound, a Hobby came down and along the ditch finally to land on the metal fencing to our left.

Then for me another life tick in the form of a Corn Bunting, on the single tree in the hay fields over Wennington.

courtesy of www.wildbirdirect.com

In Aveley Bay: Shelduck, Redshank & Oystercatcher

Then to top off a good couple of hours as i drove back past Ingrebourne Valley one Little Owl just round the bend passed the Optimist PH.

Ingrebourne Valley - Over the weekend

Not much time spent birding this weekend; an hour's quick walk Saturday morning to Tit lake and back to the Hornchurch car park via viewing area. The highlight being my second Garden Warbler in the same area as before, just before the heronry.

Then tonight i took a walk from the Optimist Public House end which was a first to see how far it was to the Hornchurch side (Only went as far as the footbridge to the woods) plus the aim was to find Kingfisher. That didnt happen but i got Swift, House Martin, Mallard, Moorhen, Chiffchaff, Green Woodpecker, Woodpigeon plus a patch first with a low flying Hobby; rufous trousers clearly on show, it headed towards the pub end car park on my return following the riverside.

Hobby seem to be in the area at the minute, 5 at Rainham on Friday, 1 over my parents back garden yesterday and this bird tonight; up until Friday i hadnt seen one this year.

76 for 2012 over the Valley

Rainham Marshes - again this week

For the second time this week i found myself over at Rainham, this time with my dad. We arrived about half eleven and as the tide was out headed up the river.

The now usual stuff on the way all the way to the bay, Whitethroat, Reed Bunting, Skylark, Black Headed Gull, Herring Gull & Shelduck. As we got the top heading towards serin mound we got some good views of a Hobby, a year tick for me and a life tick for dad.

Moving onto serin, Linnit, Goldfinch, Whitethroat and then more views of Hobby, then another, another, another & another; a total of 5 all close, lots of flight feeding action going on - good to watch.

courtesy of Steve Round www.deeestuary.co.uk

courtesy of Paul Gale www.galleryofbirds.com

Back in the reserve revealed much of the same as Wednesday and a few more year ticks for dad.

Rainham Marshes

I managed to get over Rainham yesterday in the sun; there was not much going on but the more usual species were very busy, building / repairing nests, collecting food for chicks. I was hoping to catch up with my first Sand Martins of the year but i didnt find any.

A female Wheatear was showing in the bay nicely until it got spooked by a dog a flew of towards the longer vegetation by the mud along with a single Swallow over head.

There were plenty of Chiffchaff and a few Willow Warbler around the Woodland area; a rather showing Cettis Warbler as you come to the reeds after Barretts hide. Its at time like this i wished i had got round to buying a camera.

As there wasnt much doing i decided to practice on Reed vs Sedge Warbler songs/calls. It was something i spent a lot of time doing last year and im pleased to say i got them right. 15 Reed vs 3 Sedge. There were more but these 18 were the only ones i could confirm by sight.

46 Species in all including Common Tern & Redshank.

I caught up with this family near the MDZ dipping area.

Work Patch

Finally found myself a lunch time patch: Woodman Road Cemetery. Only a short walk down the alley at the end of the road. Can be there in less than two minutes.

Found the alley whilst on a call earlier and todays birding revealed:

Jay x1
Magpie x2
Carrion Crow x2
Blackbird x1
Chiffchaff x2 - One heard one seen
Woodpigeon x1
House Sparrow x3