|
This article is incomplete. This article is missing one or more sections. You can help the BirdForum Opus by expanding it. |
|
Overview
One of the best reserves within easy reach of London.
Birds
Notable Species
Bearded tits and Water pipits are the most significant species at the site, and can be very obliging at times. Bearded tits bread at the site in 2011 and successfully reared one young. Water rail, Hobby, Stonechat, Cetti's warbler, Grasshopper warbler and Shelduck breed as well, and Peregrine and Marsh harrier breed locally.
Greenland Wheatear, Osprey, Buzzards, Harriers, Merlin and Kites are noticable migrants, and mergansers are recorder annually in autumn.
Wintering birds number around 1500 Lapwing, 100 Black-tailed Godwit, 20 Curlew, 200 Dunlin, 100 Golden plover, 30 Shelduck, 20 Pintail, 1000 Teal, 200 Wigeon, 150 Shoveler, 100 Mallard, 30 Rock pipit, 20 Little egrets and a few Ruff.
Rarities
The Sociable plover in 2005 is Rainham's most famous bird. Other rarities include Tiega and Tundra Bean Geese, White-tailed plover, Black-winged stilt, Semipalmated plover, Spotted sandpiper, Collared Pratincole, Lesser Kestrel, Red-footed falcon, Common Crane, Western sandpiper, Baird's sandpiper, Buff-breasted sandpiper, Solitary sandpiper, Ring-billed gull, Bluethroat, Alpine swift and Aquatic Warbler. Penduline tits wintered between 2004 and 2008.
The site attracts less rarities then it once did, though there hasn't yet been close to a blank year yet.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
To do
Other Wildlife
Common and Grey seals, Harbor porpoise and Dolphins can be seen in the right conditions. The site has breeding Red fox, Stoat and Weasel; as well as a fair population of Harvest mouse, Yellow-necked mouse, Bank vole, Water vole, Short-tailed vole and various Shrews.
Deadly nightshade, Bee and Pyramidal Orchids, and Flowering Rush are amongst the many flowering plant species found. Horse Mushrooms are abundant around Purfleet tip.
Site Information
History and Use
To do
Areas of Interest
To do
Access and Facilities
Located inside the M25 just west of the Dartford Crossing on the north bank of the Thames
Grid Ref: TQ552792
Contact Details
Tel: 01708 899840
External Links
