Many Redwings in the woods from Stones Manor down to the river. Also Goldfinches and Coal tits. Several Tree creepers and a Jay. Grey wagtail on the stream. Great spotted woodpecker calling and Sparrowhawk and Buzzards hunting.

Up to 12,000 pink footed geese over the reserve and Hartford around 3.30 this afternoon.

Lots of water in the reserve. See photo. Chiffchaff singing , good views of goldcrest. Cetti’s warbler singing on Twig island along with calling Water Rails. Blue Damselflies and Common Darters on the wing.

Kingfisher by the dipping platform. Also here Little Grebe. Several Red Admirals and a couple of Speckled Woods still on the reserve.

The fungi walk was well attended and some good species found . See photos. Still many Red Admirals (20) , speckled wood (2) and a Small Tortoiseshell . Fly agaric, Peziza, Penny Bun and Yellow staining Bolette

Sparrowhawk and Buzzard on the reserve plus Chiffchaffs and Long tailed tits. Counted 72 Red Admirals on the Ivy along the path thru the reserve, 7 Commas, a Small copper and a small White. Many Common Darters around too.

Chiffchaff calling, Long tailed tit flocks forming. Nuthatches calling also. Up to 15 Red Admirals, Speckled woods, Small Copper and Commas on the fruiting Ivy.

Bat surveying tonight. Soprano and Common Pipistrelles, Noctule, Daubentons with Brown Long Eared bat and Natterers near the blue bridge. Tawny owls calling

Autumn is definitely here. Long tailed tits forming groups for the winter. Few butterflies around now. Just a few Small Whites and many Red Admirals. Chiffchaff still singing

Recently the kingfisher has been visiting the reserve. Common blue and Small Copper butterflies visiting the butterfly circles. Still a few meadow browns and gatekeepers present.

The kingfisher seen on the ARM past two days. When the sun shone many butterflies came out. A Clouded Yellow on Eatons field on the thistles with many large whites . New emerged Peacocks, Red Admiral, commas, Holly blues and a common blue plus gatekeepers and Meadow Browns.

Lovely hour before the rain came. Six common blues on the butterfly circles. New hatch of these . Many gatekeepers, meadow browns and Holly blues. All three whites and lots of Small Skippers and two Essex . Red Admiral, Comma and small tortoiseshells. Good day for hawkers .

A Red Kite over the reserve at 18.00. Purple hairstreak count was 20 tonight.

As well as the hairstreaks several Gatekeepers around plus Red Admirals, Commas, Small Tortoiseshells, Common Blue, Small Copper, Meadow Browns ringlets plus the whites and the best of all a Humming bird Hawkmoth. On Greenbank park an Essex skipper plus lots of Small Skippers.

One of the best butterfly days I have had on the reserve. Up to 6 White letter hairstreaks near the overhead pipe on the path up to Stones manor. Also here and around pignut hill at least 8 Purple Hairstreaks on or around the path . Some beautiful males but they wouldn’t be still

The first sighting of a Purple Hairstreak this evening flying around the oaks. With little sun late afternoon Meadow browns, Ringlets and Small Skippers abounded. Chiffchaffs singing but little else.

Many tiny frogs crossing the tarmac path by the oak with a bench around it.

Many butterflies around on the reserve. New ones for the year are Small Heaths. Very large Migrant hawker hunting on the butterfly circles. Ravens on the reserve today along with a kingfisher on the river.

Yesterday white letter hairstreaks flying above the ELMS by the butterfly circles. Up to 70 Meadow browns here plus 4 ringlets and 2 Large Skippers. Four Red Admirals near to the greenbank overflow.

Kingfisher by the dipping platform. Several young jays in the undergrowth and a few species of butterfly including Large and Small Skipper, Meadow browns, Ringlet