Rainham RSPB March 21st

As yet, still no Wheatears despite a thorough search of there usual haunts on a walk round the Reserve, very pleasant in the sun and at last we seem to have turned the corner to Spring.

Marsh Frog - 1st of the year

Pair of Peregrines briefly copulating on a Pylon, had a look at them and recognized the female, having seen other singles and pairs over the last year hunting at Rainham, it looks as if a minimum of 2 pairs use the Reserve. There is also a hybrid knocking around, an absolutely enormous bird that dwarfs the Peregrines, I suspect it has Gyr/Saker origins, to see it harassing the Crows gives you an idea of its size.
Photo's from last year below.

Hybrid - absolutely dwarfed the local Crows

Big bird

A bonus to the walk was coming across 3 newly arrived Garganey on the Target Pools, 2 cracking drakes and a female, these were found earlier by Dave Smith.

Garganey

Previous to this had also had a site tick in the shape of a group of Waxwings in the Cordite area, although distantly scoped from the sea wall, there was no mistaking them with there crests as they fly catched from the Hornbeams.

Other sightings were of a Common Buzzard initially soaring quite low, and then pushed up higher and off the Reserve by a Rook, Crows you expect to mob Birds of Prey, but a little surprised on the Rook, especially as it was miles away from its nest site.

Common Buzzard and Rook

First sighting of Butterflies included 2 Comma’s and a Small Tortoiseshell.