Rainham gets us Jack Snipe

Jimmy & I set off at 7. 30 am for a quick visit to rainham Marshes to see the Jack Snipe reported from Purfleet hide yesterday.

We scan the scrape from the Thames path as the reserve does not open until 9.30, we see no sign of the target but 3 Pintail & 3 Little Grebe are picked out along with many Redshank & Lapwing.
With no luck we wait for the reserve to open & meet Howard who tells us where the Snipe had been seen for the last few days, it is only a a short walk to the hide & once inside we think it will be an easy tick, 6 hours later after returning from the cafe for a cuppa we finally see 2 from the bench just a few yards down from the visitor centre on the bend.
So worth it in the end & with no walking it's a good tick, we also pick out a Spotted Redshank & at least 10 Common Snipe, 4 Dunlin fly in & land not far away from us.
                                                                 
                                                                         

Jack Snipe