RSPB Rainham Year Bird Race

[Tony Kennelly]

The Rainham Marshes birdwatchers are organising a year long bird race for teams to generate more interest & birdwatching. There can be upto 4 members in each team, although they don't all have to be present for the records to count. If you are likely to visit this year & wish to participate let me know by Monday & I'll enter an AOS team. Birds seen & heard on the main reserve as well as the silt lagoons & as far west to ferry lane will count along with birds along the foreshore & landfill mound. I'll post the details via the facebook page.

Good birding

PS still gutted about dipping the merlin at stiffkey, whilst I stayed at holkham for a fieldfare!

[Tony Kennelly]

I started the AOS team list today with 66 species. The highlights were a fly in Bittern, very closely viewable Water Rails (for those without superzoom lenses), Kimgfisher, 34 Snipe, 50+ Dunlin, Barn Owl, Common Buzzard, 3 Marsh harriers, Peregrine. Also 2 Common/Harbour seals hauled out onto the kent side of the river. If you are passing Rainham Marsh (only 5 minutes from junction 30/31 of the M25) & visit please let me know what you've seen & I'll add any extra to the team list. There is a scoreboard in the visitor centre too.

Good birding

[Tony Kennelly]

As at 2nd February the AOS Adjutant Storks are at 75. The total of species seen is 108 with highest team seeing 96 and the lowest only 44. A visit on sunday (8th) produced a possible 2 more - Rook & Greenfinch. Highlights were 100+ Dunlins on purfleet scrape, 60+ Redshanks high tide roost, 50+ Pintails, 2 Buzzards still over the silt lagoons with one drifting right over the visitor centre. Also a harbour (common) seal in Aveley bay at high tide.

The scoreboard is opposite the reserve entrance ramp door. If & when anyone makes it there let me know what you see & I'll add to the Team list.

Good birding

Tony