Common Cranes at Rainham Marshes

After Saturday's poor sea watch off  Margate with PH and only 4 Bonxie and 3 Artic Skua and 2 Snipe being the highlight of a long day, I was keen to go out Sunday morning and make the most of not ringing due to high winds all weekend.

I started off with a river watch at Rainham Marshes RSPB but singles of Dunlin and Black tailed Godwit was not what I was after. A juvenile Wheatear and a Stonechat were feeding along the rocks near Aveley bay car park was a nice distraction. With the river being quiet I had a look on the local Whatsapp group. Jono and some of the boys at Wanstead flats amazingly  picked up 2 Common Cranes  going east that were seen minutes before at Tytenhanger GPs.

So I jumped into my car and drove to Ferry lane as your a bit nearer the river. I thought - as the Cranes went east from Wanstead they may follow the river?- I know I got very lucky!

Both went over my head at height and carried on going east over the reserve. And to be honest the speed I got my camera out of the bag was record breaking :)

 

Nice to get the dust of the camera again, I think this is the only Wheatear to be on my blog all year.

 

Processed birds

 The past two weekends I've ringed on both days with Paul H but on the 5th we were joined by PRO and Sunitha and on 6th Dave Mo joined us.

5th September - 82 birds processed

6th September - 69 birds processed

12th September - 38 birds processed

13th Sepember - 30 birds processed

The 5th and 6th saw a good passage of Willow Warblers and Greenfinch with 32 ringed on the 6th. The star birds were on that weekend was a 1cy Spotted Flycatcher and a 2cy male Kestrel -both were first for the site.

The 12th and 13th saw us ring the first Meadow Pipits of the Autumn and a Yellow Wagtail - first for the site on the 12th. And again good numbers of  Greenfinch. 

Birds seen around the catching area 2 Whinchat, 2 Spot fly, Hawfinch over, Marsh Harrier, Hobby, Barn Owl and Redstart are all note worthy.

 

Spot Fly
 

Kestrel

 

 

1cy Meadow Pipit

Another Tree Pipit

31st August with PH produced 73 birds

 

29 & 1 rt Blackcap

5 & 1rt Dunnock

1 Tree Pipit

8 Chiffchaff

2 Wren

2 Greenfinch

1 Common Whitethroat

1 Lesser Whitthroat

3 Reed Warbler

2 & 2 rt Blue Tit

1 Goldfinch

3 &2 rt Great Tit

1 Robin

1 Woodpigeon

1 Blackbird

2 &2 rt Long tailed Tit

A mixed bag of birds but another good morning.

Tree Pipit code 3 (juv)

Lesser Whitethroat code 4 (adult)