RAINHAM MARSHES & LIST
ENGLAND
ESSEX (London), (E)
National Grid SW 370217 00o00´/00o00´ 372ha 10-20m, mostly ancient flood meadows (now isolated from river by flood defences), reedbeds and some scrub and woodland
passage spring and autumn but anytime can be good (08.05.2008)
Birding Site Guide
Located just inside the M25, at junction 31 follow the RSPB signs 1.5 miles along the A1207 to the reserve. There is parking and toilets a visitor centre and shop, with a cafeteria upstairs. The views from here over the marshes are spectacular. There is a 2.5 mile circuit walk of the reserve and all can be done by wheelchair.
Birds seen in a 3 hour visit.
- Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
- Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
- Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
- Little Egret Egretta garzetta
- Mute Swan Cygnus olor
- Canada Goose Branta canadensis
- Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
- Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
- Gadwall Anas strepera
- Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
- Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
- Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus
- Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
- Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
- Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
- Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
- Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
- Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
- Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
- Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
- Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
- Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
- Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
- Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
- Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
- Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
- Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
- Common Redshank Tringa totanus
- Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
- Dunlin Calidris alpina
- Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
- European Herring Gull Larus argentatus
- Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
- Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
- Rock Pigeon Columba livia
- Stock Dove Columba oenas
- Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus
- Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
- Common Swift Apus apus
- Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
- Sand Martin Riparia riparia
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
- White (Pied) Wagtail Motacilla alba
- Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
- Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
- Dunnock Prunella modularis
- Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
- Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
- Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
- Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Eurasian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
- Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
- Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
- Garden Warbler Sylvia borin
- Greater Whitethroat Sylvia communis
- Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
- Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
- European Robin Erithacus rubecula
- European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola
- Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
- Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
- Great Tit Parus major
- Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
- Eurasian Magpie Pica pica
- Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula
- Carrion Crow Corvus corone
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
- Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
- European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
- European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
- Eurasian Linnet Carduelis cannabina
- Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
Full bird list
- GAVIIFORMES: Gaviidae
- Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata
- Arctic Loon Gavia arctica
- Common Loon Gavia immer
- PODICIPEDIFORMES: Podicipedidae
- Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
- Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
- Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus
- Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
- Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
- PROCELLARIIFORMES: Procellariidae
- Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
- Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
- PROCELLARIIFORMES: Hydrobatidae
- Leach's Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
- PELECANIFORMES: Sulidae
- Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
- PELECANIFORMES: Phalacrocoracidae
- Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
- European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
- CICONIIFORMES: Ardeidae
- Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
- Purple Heron Ardea purpurea
- Little Egret Egretta garzetta
- Great Bittern Botaurus stellaris
- CICONIIFORMES: Threskiornithidae
- Eurasian Spoonbill Platalea leucorodia
- ANSERIFORMES: Anatidae
- Mute Swan Cygnus olor
- Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus
- Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
- Taiga Bean Goose Anser fabalis
- Tundra Bean Goose Anser serrirostris
- Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus
- Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
- Greylag Goose Anser anser
- Brant Branta bernicla
- Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
- Canada Goose Branta canadensis intro'
- Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca intro'
- Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferruginea rare
- Common Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
- Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata intro'
- Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
- Gadwall Anas strepera
- Eurasian Teal Anas crecca
- Green-winged Teal Anas carolinensis
- Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
- Northern Pintail Anas acuta
- Garganey Anas querquedula
- Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
- Common Pochard Aythya ferina
- Ferruginous Pochard Aythya nyroca NT
- Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
- Greater Scaup Aythya marila
- Common Eider Somateria mollissima
- Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
- Black Scoter Melanitta nigra
- Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
- Smew Mergellus albellus
- Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
- Common Merganser Mergus merganser
- Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis intro'
- FALCONIFORMES: Pandionidae
- Osprey Pandion haliaetus
- FALCONIFORMES: Accipitridae
- European Honey-buzzard Pernis apivorus
- Red Kite Milvus milvus NT
- Western Marsh-Harrier Circus aeruginosus
- Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
- Montagu's Harrier Circus pygargus
- Eurasian Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
- Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
- Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo
- Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
- FALCONIFORMES: Falconidae
- Eurasian Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
- Red-footed Falcon Falco vespertinus rare NT
- Merlin Falco columbarius
- Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo
- Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
- GALLIFORMES: Phasianidae
- Red-legged Partridge Alectoris rufa intro'
- Grey Partridge Perdix perdix
- Common Quail Coturnix coturnix
- Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus intro'
- GRUIFORMES: Gruidae
- Common Crane Grus grus
- GRUIFORMES: Rallidae
- Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
- Corn Crake Crex crex NR
- Spotted Crake Porzana porzana
- Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
- Eurasian Coot Fulica atra
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Haematopodidae
- Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Recurvirostridae
- Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus rare
- Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Burhinidae
- Eurasian Thick-knee Burhinus oedicnemus
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Glareolidae
- Collared Pratincole Glareola pratincola rare
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Charadriidae
- Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus
- Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius rare CE
- Eurasian Golden-Plover Pluvialis apricaria
- Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
- Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
- Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
- Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Scolopacidae
- Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola
- Jack Snipe Lymnocryptes minimus
- Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
- Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa NR
- Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
- Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
- Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
- Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
- Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
- Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
- Common Greenshank Tringa nebularia
- Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes rare
- Marsh Sandpiper Tringa stagnatilis rare
- Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola
- Common Redshank Tringa totanus
- Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
- Red Knot Calidris canutus
- Sanderling Calidris alba
- Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri rare
- Little Stint Calidris minuta
- Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
- Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii rare
- Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos rare
- Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
- Dunlin Calidris alpina
- Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis rare NR
- Ruff Philomachus pugnax
- Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Laridae
- Mew Gull Larus canus
- Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis rare
- Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
- Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
- Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
- European Herring Gull Larus argentatus
- Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
- Caspian Gull Larus cachinnans rare
- Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
- Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus
- Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
- Little Gull Larus minutus
- Sabine's Gull Xema sabini
- Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Sternidae
- Little Tern Sternula albifrons
- Black Tern Chlidonias niger
- Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
- Common Tern Sterna hirundo
- Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Stercorariidae
- Great Skua Stercorarius skua
- Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
- Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
- CHARADRIIFORMES: Alcidae
- Little Auk Alle alle
- Common Murre Uria aalge
- Razorbill Alca torda
- COLUMBIFORMES: Columbidae
- Rock Pigeon Columba livia
- Stock Dove Columba oenas
- Common Wood-Pigeon Columba palumbus
- Eurasian Turtle-Dove Streptopelia turtur
- Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
- PSITTACIFORMES: Psittacidae
- Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri intro'
- CUCULIFORMES: Cuculidae
- Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
- STRIGIFORMES: Tytonidae
- Barn Owl Tyto alba
- STRIGIFORMES: Strigidae
- Tawny Owl Strix aluco
- Little Owl Athene noctua intro'
- Northern Long-eared Owl Asio otus
- Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
- APODIFORMES: Apodidae
- Common Swift Apus apus
- CORACIIFORMES: Alcedinidae
- Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
- CORACIIFORMES: Meropidae
- European Bee-eater Merops apiaster
- CORACIIFORMES: Upupidae
- Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops
- PICIFORMES: Picidae
- Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos minor
- Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major
- Green Woodpecker Picus viridis
- PASSERIFORMES: Alaudidae
- Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
- Eurasian Skylark Alauda arvensis
- Wood Lark Lullula arborea
- PASSERIFORMES: Hirundinidae
- Sand Martin Riparia riparia
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- House Martin Delichon urbicum
- PASSERIFORMES: Motacillidae
- Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis
- Red-throated Pipit Anthus cervinus rare
- Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis
- Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta
- Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus
- Pied/White Wagtail Motacilla alba
- Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
- Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
- PASSERIFORMES: Regulidae
- Goldcrest Regulus regulus
- Firecrest Regulus ignicapilla
- PASSERIFORMES: Bombycillidae
- Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
- PASSERIFORMES: Cinclidae
- White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus
- PASSERIFORMES: Troglodytidae
- Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
- PASSERIFORMES: Prunellidae
- Dunnock Prunella modularis
- PASSERIFORMES: Turdidae
- Ring Ouzel Turdus torquatus
- Eurasian Blackbird Turdus merula
- Fieldfare Turdus pilaris
- Redwing Turdus iliacus
- Song Thrush Turdus philomelos
- Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus
- PASSERIFORMES: Sylviidae
- Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
- Grasshopper Warbler Locustella naevia
- Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola Vu
- Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
- Eurasian Reed-Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus
- Marsh Warbler Acrocephalus palustris
- Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
- Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
- Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
- Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus
- Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla
- Garden Warbler Sylvia borin
- Greater Whitethroat Sylvia communis
- Lesser Whitethroat Sylvia curruca
- Dartford Warbler Sylvia undata
- PASSERIFORMES: Muscicapidae
- Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
- European Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca
- European Robin Erithacus rubecula
- Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos
- Bluethroat Luscinia svecica
- Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
- Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
- Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
- European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola
- Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
- PASSERIFORMES: Paradoxornithidae
- Bearded Reedling Panurus biarmicus
- PASSERIFORMES: Aegithalidae
- Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus
- PASSERIFORMES: Paridae
- Willow Tit Poecile montana
- Coal Tit Periparus ater
- Great Tit Parus major
- Eurasian Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus
- PASSERIFORMES: Remizidae
- Eurasian Penduline-Tit Remiz pendulinus rare
- PASSERIFORMES: Laniidae
- Red-backed Shrike Lanius collurio
- PASSERIFORMES: Corvidae
- Eurasian Jay Garrulus glandarius
- Eurasian Magpie Pica pica
- Eurasian Jackdaw Corvus monedula
- Rook Corvus frugilegus
- Carrion Crow Corvus corone
- Hooded Crow Corvus cornix
- Common Raven Corvus corax
- PASSERIFORMES: Sturnidae
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- PASSERIFORMES: Passeridae
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus
- PASSERIFORMES: Fringillidae
- Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
- Brambling Fringilla montifringilla
- Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
- European Greenfinch Carduelis chloris
- Lesser/Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea
- Eurasian Siskin Carduelis spinus
- European Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis
- Twite Carduelis flavirostris
- Eurasian Linnet Carduelis cannabina
- European Serin Serinus serinus
- Eurasian Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula
- PASSERIFORMES: Emberizidae
- Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
- Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
- Corn Bunting Emberiza calandra
- Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
- Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
The reserve has many Water Voles.
There are many Marsh Frogs here and some strange hybrids.
Author: BSG
www.birdingsiteguide.com