Rainham

We had some positive news today from the hospital regarding my daughter-in-law and we sure needed it. Hopefully it marks the start of a better run of luck for her. I'm still pretty busy helping out with School runs and after school commitments etc coupled with looking after Suzanne as best I can but I am also trying hard to make time for birding which helps clear my head too.

Rainham has been the chosen venue for most of my birding over the last few days and it continues to deliver new arrivals and year ticks for me.

Over the last few days I've found Whimbrel, Grasshopper Warblers, Lesser Whitethroats and my first Swifts of the year to name a few and it's also been good working through the species counts with around 70 on most visits.

The year list now sits at 188 but I'm still to find an Arctic Tern or Sandwich Tern, no Ouzel or Whinchat for me yet but I keep looking. I missed a Redstart the other day and today somebody reported two Cranes flying over Rainham shortly after I'd left.

Common Sandpipers

Whimbrel and Curlew

Swift

Marsh frogs

Wheatear

Marsh Frog

Common Terns

Little Egret

Dunnock

Breeding plumaged Great White Egret

Gropper on the fence

Cetti's Warbler

Whitethroat

Pochard

Pochard

Gadwall