White-tailed plover at Rainham - 7 July 2010

Had a call from David Campbell at work about a white-tailed plover which had just arrived at Rainham. I couldn't leave work then but I was able to leave early to go home and get my gear. I got to Rainham about 6.30 pm and the plover was on the opposite side of the reserve. The group was visible and those nice folks at the RSPB had agreed to keep the reserve open late. I hurried over to the other side and the plover was showing well but on the far side of the lake. Nevertheless, it waded and preened and flew up and down. Next day it was gone! These shots were taken in fading light.

Here it is with a common sandpiper.

White-tailed plover with common sandpiper.


Here is one of it in flight showing the plumage and the pure white tail:

Hoopoe at Rainham. Alpine swift at Chafford Hundred.

This weekend wasn't one of the best weatherwise, admit it. I'd done nothing all weekend and on Easter Sunday my nine year-old niece was to be baptised at Rainham church. I duly put on my best bib and tucker. The service was nice and the lunch was relaxing. Afterwards, I took Lynne to see her other sister and I sloped off to Chafford Hundred, just on the other side of Lakeside to see if I could find the Alpine Swift that was reported late yesterday. I'd not been there before but I got to the right place at about 3.45 pm. and there was one other birdwatcher there. The swift, of course had just been there, but it had just disappeared! The chap told me that the others had just gone to Rainham because a hoopoe had been reported and Ranham closed at 5pm. We agreed it would be best to go to Rainham before it closed.

At 4.10 I arrived at Rainham. Through the telescope the staff showed me where the group watching the hoopoe was. It was about as far from the centre as you can imagine. For those of you who don't know Rainham that is about 3km or 1.5 miles. I didn't think I could get there and back by 5pm. She said "You can if you're quick!"

I raced off with a few others and we arrived, hot and bothered on the other side of the reserve. The group started moving off at that point. The hoopoe had just flown. Ohh, nooo!! It was quickly re-located on a wooden fence behind a metal fence. I soon got it in my scope and fired off a few shots.






Shy hoopoe.









It was a British tick for me. It was quite distant and I decided to go back for the swift straight away. I got back to the RSPB centre just before five.

No sooner had I arrived back at Chafford Hundred than the alpine swift reappeared. It was showing well but it took some time to get the focus right on my camera. Autofocus is useless with a small bird flying high and at speed. I prefocussed roughly and then followed it while I tweaked the focus ring before firing off a few frames. Some of them came out. Another British tick and a life tick too! There were also some sand martins and swallows about.

Alpine swift

I thought I'd better get back to Lynne, but I was pleased at two British ticks in a couple of hours.

David Campbell had rung to tell me of a ferruginous duck at Holmthorpe but I coudn't get back in time for it. I went this morning (Monday) but it wasn't there. I missed another British tick there.

Serin and Yellow-legged gulls at Rainham

Went to Rainham last week and saw the serin briefly in poor light at the end of the day. Decided to go back today (Fri 27 Nov) to try and get a picture. It's a very small bird, smaller than a goldfinch, and very mobile. It was almost impossible to see it in the flock but it was possible to see it as soon as it landed and before it dropped down to the ground to feed.

When I got there it had been seen shortly before (always the way) but it was now nowhere to bee seen. Walked up and down the path for a while, settled on the grass to set my tripod up in readiness. Surely they would come through here soon??

Waited 35 mins - nothing, not even the main flock of goldfinches. I got up and wandered down the track to where another man with the same lens was also waiting. After a few minutes the unmistakable calls of goldfinches could be heard. Dominic Mitchell (as I learned he was) saw the serin straight away and did hid best to point out exactly where this tiny bird was, camouflaged in the bushes. Normally, I'm fairly quick at following where people are looking by following the line of their scope but, at that moment I couldn't. I was also desperately trying to extend the legs on my tripod and that didn't help!!

They flew again!! Nooo! They settled again. Dominic was firing off shot after shot while I fumbled and looked. They flew again to a bush directly in front of us. I got onto the serin and, before they all flew off again, managed a single, poorly focused shot . This is it:

Serin, Rainham Marshes.

Just had time to see a few Yellow-legged gulls (year tick) on the Thames before heading home.