Rare visit of Ruff at the Ingrebourne Valley Tues 16th sept

We are expecting something good all the time at the moment because the scrape is looking very good,  and we were not disappointed today.  I got to the scrape at around 3 pm this afternoon just as a number of birds were alighting on the far side,  Lapwings ,Few Godwits,  ducks and,  "hello whats that amongst them"?   2 smaller waders,   grabs the glasses,  "Ruff"      It turned out to be 4,   3 juvs and an adult,    Some of the guys got over there and saw them,  looks like they may be there tomorrow.

Elegant Ruff

 "Can you see em Lee"?

Saturday 13th september Ingrebourne Valley

The Female Marsh Harrier was again hunting around the scrape today and put everything up,  which showed that there were 10 Snipe,  around a dozen BTGs, Green Sandpiper, Egrets, Herons, about a 100 Lapwing,  and plenty of wildfowl.

Friday 12th sept Ingrebourne Valley

Birds at the scrape today were;  16 BTGs, 2 Green Sandpipers, a good number of Snipe,  and plenty of Lapwings,  numbers of wildfowl are increasing day by day,   A Hobby was seen hunting again, as were a Sparrowhawk and 2 Kestrels,    2 Spotted flycatchers were up and down the hedge next to St Georges where the concrete slabs are late this afternoon,

  there were some other small birds there as well but just could not get a clear look at them,  this is a good area worth watching with plenty of shrubbery containing lots of dog rose with hips

Wednesday 10th september Ingrebourne Valley

Unusually warm, still, and quiet,  pockets of Tit flocks with the usual warblers mixed in around the Valley,  but nothing unusual.   The scrape is looking very inviting at the moment and with this late summer sun any thing could turn up, I keep going over there because I don't want to miss anything,  it's been a good year so far and could prove to be even better.    I think we have all got blasé with the BTGs, but it's really amazing that in the first place they came there and so many, and they are still there.   Because the water (fingers crossed) has gone down and the mud is showing everything is moving into the front scrape;... Snipe,  Green Sandpiper, Godwits,  although they have been there all along,  Ducks, Gulls and geese.   Another bird being very vocal at the moment is theWater Rail,.  There are still daily Buzzard, Hobby, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel visits and hopefully another migrant burst.

Rainham RSPB and Ingrebourne Valley Tuesday 9th sept

Great White Egret Rainham,  Russ Sherriff

Great White Egret Rainham ,  Russ Sherriff

Black-Tailed Godwit,  Ingrebourne Valley, DMcG

Becoming a familiar sight now

Hobby, Valley

Ingrebourne Valley sunday 7th sept

Birds reported during the day at the Valley; 2 Whinchat,  2 Wheatear, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 6 Willow Warbler, 23 Black-Tailed Godwits, 10 Snipe, Green Sandpiper, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Little Egrets, Herons, 70 Lapwing, 10 Teal, Swans 2 Adult 3 Cygnets,

Saturday 6th september Ingrebourne Valley

There were at least 27 Black-Tailed Godwits on the scrapes today,  Shaun counted 15 Snipe,  he also saw a Redstart which Andy had picked up in his scope at the black bridge,   Lesser Whitethroats, Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs,  Willow Warblers,  were all to the left of the viewing area still and a Yellow Wagtail flew over.   A Green Sandpiper is still about the scrapes,  and a lone wigeon made an pleasant appearance this afternoon.    The Mute swans with their cygnets were seen today alive.  60 to 70 Lapwings were camped around the scrapes  and 50 martins were feeding over the water.

Lone Wigeon

Not alone Martins