Awesome Rainham

Started this morning at Fairlop waters where a Goosander was still present, then made my way to Aveley bay to hopefully locate yesterdays Eider which would be a good London tick as there has not been to many records of this species in the couple of decades.

On arriving i find smithy in the car-park and we made our way to the river, and we are also joined by Andy and Phil and after ten minutes smithy finds the imm Eider close in to the bank of Aveley bay, not exactly the prettiest off birds but certainly a great London tick.

imm drake Eider

Walking along the river wall i find 5 Corn Bunting on the saltings and good numbers of Dunlin and Redshank and a single Grey Plover on the ebbing tide, the regular imm male Marsh Harrier fly's towards Crayford marsh pursued by a crow.

Dunlin

Grey Plover

Walking back towards the Car-park out of nowhere a flock of 14 Bewick Swans flyover towards Crayford marsh and are greeted with another flock and fly into aveley bay and land on the river, a total of 27 Bewick's including 2 juvs stay for just 10 minutes before being flushed by a large container ship heading out of the river and are last seen heading north west.

Bewick's

Cant remember having heard of a flock of that size in the London area in my time and glad i was there to witness this great spectacle.


A Short-eared owl hunting around the Car-park ended a good mornings birding.