Good afternoon all

The Phyllis Currie Nature Reserve is run by the Essex Wildlife Trust.

We saw a lot of coloured leaves on this visit. It was dry if not a bit chilly.  The work party were again taking up the car park, so we had to park on the verge a bit further down the road at the other entrance. It was a very pleasant stroll.

We came across the work party clearing trees, they said that deer had not long passed that very spot, shame we missed them although we did find evidence of them in droppings!!  I was tempted to have a warm up at their fire they had burning!  There were no ducks on the lake this time, but I fed the Rudd anyhow. We also saw a swan mussel on the bottom of the lake.

No doubt you are wanting to know if we saw the Kingfisher again. Well yes, we did. He graced us with a dash, a three second sit on a twig and another dash. We sat in the hide for about 40 mins. We did see him again and Ian saw him around the lake.  We consider ourselves very fortunate to have had a brilliant encounter with him at our last visit.

Lots to see, even though Autumn is well under way. I will list the things we saw or heard.

Birds seen: Kingfisher, Grey Heron, Mallard, Moorhen, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Long Tailed Tit, Green Woodpecker, Jay, Robin, Wood Pigeon.

Birds heard: Nuthatch, Wren, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Goldcrest.

Plants: Black Bryony, Water Mint, Greater Reedmace, Yellow Water Lily, Pendulous Sedge, Perforate St John's Wort, Woody Nightshade (Bittersweet), Toadflax, Spurge Laurel, Hemp Agrimony, Whitebeam Tree, Blackthorn (Sloes), Sulphur Tuft Toadstool, 3 unidentified Toadstools.

Insects: Hornet, several species of Dragonfly.

Other Wildlife: Spangle Galls on Oak leaf, A Badger Latrine, Deer Poo from at least two Deer species, Rudd and Swan Mussel.

Best wishes, Janet

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