Early mornings beside The River Thames

May 18th                         Click on photo for a larger image

Another warm and sunny start to the day. Just three Common Terns on the River Thames this morning, but today there were Swallows passing through where yesterday I saw none. How things can change in 24 hours.

Looking across to Erith Yacht Club

Looking east to the QE2 Bridge with Aveley bay in the foreground

Robin singing his heart out

The river was quiet this morning but not so the bushes and trees where a number of bird species were in full song including today a Cuckoo. Whitethroats seemed to be everywhere and it was only a few weeks ago I was anticipating seeing my first one of spring!

Whitethroat

and another one

And yet one more!

May 17th

Goodyear Blimp passes high over the reserve and across the river to Kent.

Another warm and sunny start to the day. I did my usual walk, parking in the small car park at the eastern end of Rainham Landfill Site. Headed down to the river to view Avely Bay on my left and view across to Erith Yacht Club. 30-40 Common Terns were feeding on the river, plunge-diving for their prey, and among them were two Arctic Terns. A Redshank flew in calling and landed in front of me.

Redshank

Redshank

I then walked west along the river until I came to the permissive path which takes you up and over the landfill. Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, and Whitethroat were all in full song.

Good numbers of Skylarks appear to be breeding on the grassy banks of the landfill.

After descending the other side of the landfill I turn right which takes me to the serin mound. From this raised position you have great views across Wennington Marsh towards the A13 in the distance. From here I continue east the short distance back to the small car park. A Cetti's Warbler sings his loud burst of song almost continuously but remains hidden with just very brief flight views. Linnets and Goldfinches are twittering away behind me as is an exceptionally loud Wren. Reed Warblers sing from the reed-filled ditches running out across the enclosed bay.

Back up onto the seawall, I head east. I can see double-figure counts of Avocet feeding on the exposed mudflats with Redwings and Shelduck. One Redshank seems to have claimed a grassy tussock!

Redshank

SWS Suffolk a push-pull tug i believe

I thought I'd try my hand at photographing gulls in flight. Pretty sure they are all Herring Gulls, happy to be corrected, and some different ages judging by the plumage in the last image. The first three images are the same bird.

1st Summer Hering Gull

1st Summer Hering Gull

1st Summer Hering Gull

Herring Gulls is possibly a 3rd Summer on the left. They take about four years to mature going through different plumage stages as they do. This is the same for all large gulls.

A trio of Avocet caught my eye

And then a female Wheatear grabbed my attention as she stopped off on her migration further north to feed along the tideline.

female Wheatear

I sat for a drink near the turnstile, for those who don't know you can exit the reserve here and walk back to the visitor centre. Unfortunately, it is an exit only. A Whitethroat came to investigate me and then serenade me, although it looks more like it was telling me to clear off, which could be true as there was a family group in the trees.

Whitethroat

Whitethroat moving me on!

I walked to the visitor centre which was just opening before retracing my steps back to the car park. For those that count their steps, I walked 8,822 steps which is just under 3 miles. And for those who count their birds, I noted 54 different species.