A Waterail paddling on the edge of the pool again...

and the female Stonechat posing for her picture...

A frosty start today...

sees the Mistle Thrush enjoying the Mistle berries...

and so is the Blackcap...

while a Fieldfare keeps his distance...

Its all about camouflage!

A Reed Bunting in winter feathers on a Common Reed...

Spot the Snipe in this picture sitting in the reeds while keeping a beady eye on me...

And here is a female Bullfinch, spotted this morning on the back hedge enjoying some late blackberries...

and even her partner, having a doze, is not out of place, as he looks a bit like a colourful autumn leaf from a distance... 

A female Stonechat spying out the land...

the willow heron, restored to its place at the edge of the main pool...

and an iridescent Kingfisher stands out in the dull undergrowth...

A pair of Goldfinches having a head to head....

and one of two Cetti Warblers who were flitting in the hedge...

The warm sunshine of Autumn last week...

gave way to a north wind bringing a frost yesterday...

and rain overnight raised the water level in the main pool, making getting about easier for the Teal, who are looking very smart in their winter feathers...

there is even some water in the new scrape, much to the delight of a flock of pied wagtails and the ever opportunist hunter, the kestrel...

A Snipe also feeding on the muddy margins of the main pool...

And a female blackbird feeding on the hawthorn berries along the hedge...

10 days after arriving from their summer on the moors, these two male Stonechats are arguing over territory - this morning they spent half an hour chasing each other round the hedges....

while this Linnet sat watching their antics...

The elusive Water rail, caught on camera, searching for food in the muddy margins of the main pool...

The Kestrel sits looking over the newly cleared scrape...

it offers an excellent hunting ground ...

The Stonechats are returning for the winter ... this one sitting above a Reed Bunting...

and a Greater Spotted Woodpecker is checking the dead trees for grubs....

A Treecreeper spotted by the gate into the south meadow...

and plenty of insect activity in a sheltered hedge by the Mayfield Road Entrance gate...

Confrontation!

Pink candyfloss clouds making a beautiful sunset over the wetlands tonight...

This last week seems to be the week for Red Admiral butterflies... this one was sunning itself on some reeds by the path at the back of the main pool...

and flying up and down the river you might see this shape as I did this morning.... a cormorant

And a single swan on the main pool today, looking very pale... yes that's a colour photo!

Its Autumn!  The hedgerows are bursting with Autumn fruits...

the blackberry season is being enjoyed by the starlings...

a Blackbird rather likes the elderberries...

but the Long-tailed Tit here is probably more interested in tiny insects rather than the hawthorn berries themselves ....

as is the Wren...

and this Great Spotted Woodpecker will also be looking for insects... under the bark....

and here a Comma Butterfly is taking shelter from the breezy weather...

Fishing Fest down on the main pool...

The Heron and Little Egret share a favourite fishing spot while a Black headed gull looks out for opportunities....

And above them, the Kingfisher is also fishing from his perch....

Meanwhile, on the river, it is bath time in the shallows for a swan family...

and over the pools, the dragonflies are zipping about...

a Brown Hawker in flight!...

and a Migrant Hawker having a rest...

Two Little Egrets have been spotted down at the Meadows... this one is perching out of the way of the Heron who thinks he owns the fishing rights on the pool....

and the warm sunshine has brought out lots of dragonflies... such as this pair of Common Darters "hanging on"...

A Little Egret dancing for its dinner... With water levels down, there are lots of fish to chase in the main pool...

A beautiful Green Woodpecker passes down the big hedge...

and a Reed Warbler flits among the reeds by the board walk...