April and May proved to be busy months for everyone here at Rainham Marshes, with variable weather, new on-site challenges, interesting bird and wildlife sightings, and the sad departure of members of our RSPB team.

Sunset over Rainham Marshes. (Photo: RSPB Rainham)

Although spring is here, Rainham Marshes has been battered and bruised with cold temperatures and high winds, interjected with the occasional fine spring day and a fleeting glimpse of a summer that we all secretly long for. Despite this, and like the changing of the seasons, things never stop as the reserve's grand opening next year draws closer, with still so much to do.

Of course, the biodiversity of the marshes more than makes up for any complaints that anyone might have, with some great sightings recorded by guests and staff alike.

Water Vole. (Photo: RSPB Rainham)

As a newcomer to the RSPB Rainham Marshes nature reserve, I received the best welcome present that I could have hoped for with my very first sighting, (ever) of the marshes' famous water vole during a Wednesday Walk with our resident bird specialist Howard Vaughan; a great introduction to the very special wildlife species found here. Excitingly, brown hares have also been seen, and it is hoped that they will become frequent visitors to the marshes. The waterways are alive with the sound of marsh frogs croaking their watery way through the day. An array of butterflies and dragonfly are also beginning to appear.

Particular bird sightings of interest in April included two female marsh harriers, up to four little gulls, a drake garganey and an arctic tern, and two very early little terns. A sprinkling of northern wheatears were sighted late on, but there were only two white wagtails and a brief grasshopper warbler- their distinctive 'reeling' song being heard for a few days. Wader passage improved with a few whimbrels and greenshanks going through while the black-tailed godwit flock, so regular throughout the winter, dwindled as they moved onto breeding grounds. Late winter birds included a goosander and a female merlin.

Marsh Harrier (Photo: Chris Gomersall, rspb-images.com).

May, well into the breeding bird surveys (thanks to those who had to get up at silly o'clock to do this), is typically a wader month and it did not disappoint with a sprinkling of himbrels and greenshanks but only one bar-tailed godwit and two grey plovers. Two turnstones, a knot and two sanderlings were noteworthy. Two sandwich terns headed upriver and several marsh harriers moved through as well. An adult shag was unusually late while both British and Greenland race wheatears continued to move through. A spotted flycatcher was a good spring record.

As for the reserve itself, most of the major projects are completed for the present and we are now gearing up for the start of the construction of the new Environment and Education centre, and the firm establishment of our three Discovery Zones. These zones have already proved useful in school visits and it is hoped this will continue, as numbers increase. The Rainham-Purfleet riverside path is almost finished- the section along the reserve was built throughout April and May, with guided walks by our resident Field-Teachers going great guns. The RSPB volunteers have all been kept very busy, so thanks to them.

Education and awareness

Another important aspect of Rainham Marshes nature reserve is environmental education and awareness. We have held a number of activities and events over the past two months, which have helped create awareness, whilst being fun and informative.

Our 'Go Wild Club', a programme that allows kids to make bird feeders, nest boxes and bird tables on-site, whilst enjoying environmentally based games and craft activities, has been popular.

The 'Aren't Birds Brilliant' team were on the reserve for an intensive weekend, which seemed to go off well. We have also become involved in an 'innovative' community art-based project entitled 'Stag becomes Eagle' headed by our very own Community Officer Carlie Mayes, which has so far proved a hit with the local community. This project, based at Proof House in Purfleet, and run in conjunction with Thurrock Council, Commsions East and the Arts Council, allows local youngsters to get involved and produce their own music, videos, design and photography with the marshes as the theme.

Continuing the program of extending open access on the reserve, we held another Open Weekend in May. Around 400 people attended over the weekend and most of these took advantage of the hourly-guided walk program, which proved very popular. This was run alongside Low Tide Day on the 8th May. Eighty-seven species of bird were seen across the weekend- a record count for a single weekend. A visit from our Board and Council was a big occasion for us on Sunday 22nd May, as our President, Julian Pettifer, a veteran of the BBC, came to enjoy the reserve.

Conclusion/Future Developments:

It's all change on the RSPB Rainham staff front too. Mark Underhill, Rainham's Site Manager, takes up his new post as Regional Reserves Manager with Nick Bruce-White taking on Mark's vacated role. We also said goodbye to our very own administrative wonder-woman Hazel Pudney. (Maybe she'd reconsider if we got down on bended knees!) Additionally we have filled two new posts; 'yours truly' is the new Visitor and Publicity Officer for Rainham Marshes, whilst Carolyn Stewart will soon take the reins as the Regional Education Officer.

With all this in mind and as quoted by Mark Underhill, 2005 will prove to be a 'vintage year' for RSPB Rainham Marshes nature reserve, as a unique and leading conservation area, and a site of outstanding biodiversity and cultural heritage.