Barking & Rainham

I spent a most evenings last week at Barking bay after work looking for the Ring Ouzels and thanks to Paul on Wednesday i saw them, also had my 1st little ringed plover of the year during the week. I decided to go to the bay first on Saturday morning then over to Rainham managed 43 species at Barking including 2 Tufted ducks, 2 Oystercatchers (that must have had a domestic as there was 1 at each end of the mud) . 4 Common terns and 2 Whitethroats both year ticks giving me 4 for the week. Also had 4 swallows flying through at various intervals.

The good thing about only going to Rainham occasionly this year is when i do go, i get quite a few year ticks including Blackcap, Whitethroat, Swallow, Wheatear & Whimbrel. 47 species seen at Rainham.

14/04/12 barking bay

Arrived at the patch about 9.00 (nowhere near as early as i'd hoped) wasn't much near the jetty only black headed gulls and shelduck with a few cormorants on the jetty so i walked along the path and went onto the flat area next to the centre and saw 1 wheatear on a fence post next to the earth mound. Walked along the path to the end and a Swallow flew across as i reached the middle ditch. Spent the next few hours wandering about, but only came across the usual suspects I decided to cross Renwick rd and try to get a photo of a chiffchaff in the birch wood. Whilst there  i had 2 chiff chaff, 1 greater spotted woodpecker and my first Blackcap. 1 in the middle of the wood and another at the edge, this bird was with three other birds but i couldn't see whether or not these were also blackcap.

1st Swallows

Got home from work about 4.15 this evening and as the sun was out and they don't shut the car park till 5 i popped over to barking bay for half hour. Didn't see much about, but as i was leaving 2 Swallows flew over from the Thames heading towards Choats rd . First Swallows i have seen this year and of course as i was straight from work no camera.

average friday

Only managed to get out on Friday over the Easter, due to family demands.Whilst enjoyable it wasn't very productive. barking bay first where it was very quiet apart from a million black headed gulls and about 25 shelduck there wasn't anything on the mud,was hoping for a little ringed plover but it wasn't to be. not much on the scrub just usual meadow pipits and skylarks along the middle ditch there were 4 canada geese 2 dunnock and a wren the linnet flock was down to about 20 birds. the cemex ditch was pretty bare as well with only a wren 2 coot and a moorhen with several blackbirds. Walking back to the car there were about 25 Blackwits flying through along the Thames.

Plenty of people at Rainham RSPB only went as far as the woods as i was being summoned home now. Plenty of birds about all he expected ones and managed to add 3 more to the year list for rainham including Ruff and Chiffchaff.

At least Friday was sunny, unlike the rest of the holiday

barking bay today

Had a bit of running around to do this morning so didn't arrive till about 10.30. It was still a bit foggy but there wasn't much to see on the mud or river. walked to the middle ditch where a mystery bird was hiding and jumping out flying along the ditch and hiding again. Turned out to be a green sandpiper (must be the one dave saw yesterday as were the 2 green woodpeckers).

Headed over to the cemex ditch where i saw 1 ltt and heard a great tit calling and  a solitary house sparrow.

walked back along the foreshore where i had 2 pair of oystercatcher 8 curlew 4,0000000000 black headed gulls and about 80 blackwits that flew down river towards rainham in three seperate groups. As i got back to my car in renwick rd i heard a chiff chaff calling in the trees opposite ,next to the power station, went over there to try and get a photo but no luck.

mission accomplished

Been over to barking bay most nights after work looking for the 1st wheatears of the year, finally struck gold this afternoon. arrived about 9 with crap weather and rain on the way. Had a good walk round with no wheatears or anything else for that matter and being soaking wet i called it a day and headed back to the car.Walking along the foreshore i got level with the big spoil heap when a bird flew across me flashing its white-arse as it went .i watched it land  and started to take some record shots when i saw 2 more fly past 1landed on the pipe the other dropped down out of site in the grass.

other highlights were 50 blackwits 4 oystercatchers on the mud and 4 canada geese on the little pond by the middle ditch.

Still waiting

Went out Saturday to barking bay and Rainham marshes hoping for a migrant or two especially a Wheatear but nothing not a single one. I actually didn't see much at all at either patch did manage to see a pair of ltt's on next to the woodland board walk .

 Also went over Barking bay yesterday after work at about 5pm and today at about 3.30 still no migrants, can't be long now hopefully. Did see about 100 black wits and 1 barwit today at barking bay. As for migrants to quote Diana Ross l'm still waiting!.