A very short post

Firstly, apologies in advance for future quietness on my blog - have just discovered that my camera's busted so there'll be no pics for a while. Not sure how long these things take but it's going back to Nikon this week for repair.

So to be going on with, here are some pics from Rainham. I was there on Sunday but was mainly occupied doing a book signing and only managed a very short look at the riverbank. Plus it was a very wet and gloomy day so the few photos I took were mostly horrible.

A male Teal heading up the Thames. There were a few Wigeons on the water too. Waders scooting about included Curlews, Golden Plovers and Dunlins. Also saw two Peregrines, a female pursuing a male in a rather ominous manner, given that possibly the same female had a few days previously killed a male on the reserve.

The day was saved by Nelson, the one-eyed young male Kestrel who can be seen regularly on the riverbank and near the visitor centre. He is as fearless as the other well-known Rainham Kestrel, the female called Kes, who I haven't seen for ages but maybe he is a relation of hers. I found him sitting in a small tree by the river and he seemed unconcerned by my presence (though I noticed he kept his good eye turned to me at all times!) so I took lots of pics from various angles. I'd have probably burned up the whole memory card if it hadn't been really raining at the time.