A wee recap of the last week on the reserve... feels more like autumn 🍂community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/… Male Dartford Warbler by Russ Sherriff

It’s #ReptileAwarenessDay! 🐍 The Grass snake (Natrix Helvetica) is Britain's largest reptile but is shy by nature and wary of humans. Preferred habitats include riverbanks, ponds, and ditches. In the summer months you might see them basking in the sun or swimming 📸Matt Lodge

And so as we enter the last weekend of October it is good to see that we still have 5 Cattle & 2 Great Egrets on the marsh & the male Dartford Warbler still singing on the river wall. Pic by Russ Sherriff

It may be the 1st November but there are still dragonflies out hunting other insects around the trails with Migrant Hawkers, Willow Emeralds & Common Darters (pictured) on the wing although some are a bit tatty now! RSPB England Essex Field Club British Dragonfly Society

Ex & Soc 2021 Announcement Due to the uncertainties regarding Covid, the Club Council have regretfully decided that the Exhibition and Social will not take place this year.

Lovely open day visit to Daws Hall Nature Reserve - we found the beautiful leafhopper Ledra aurita, and a colony of aphids on willow which seemed to be a mix of Pterocomma salicis and Tuberolachnus salignus Tristan Bantock #hemiptera #ledraaurita #aphids

#Avocet on the #Thames at #Rainham. #LondonBirds #BirdsSeenIn2021 #essex #RainhamMarshes #wildlife #nature

An eyeball view of this Red Kite (pic by Russell Sherriff) was the highlight from the visitors centre 2day Also: Dartford Warbler, 4 Marsh Harrier, Buzzard, Peregrine, 26 Avocet, 127 Snipe, Ruff, 2 Raven, 2 Bearded Tit, 60 Fieldfare, 8 Redwing, Water & Rock Pipit amongst others

Bearded tits are enigmatic reedbed denizens & although tricky to find they can be quite fearless @ #RSPBRainham Mark Vale got some lovely shots last week including this moustachioed male Essex Field Club RSPB England Essex Birdwatching Society London Bird Club

Evie and I erected a “bee hotel” in our Boreham, #Essex #garden this Thursday pm. On a S facing fence near the pond #wildlife #insects Essex Field Club Essex Wildlife Trust BC Cambs and Essex Now we wait for the bees

A few clips of the sparrows feeding on Willow flowers at RSPB Rainham Marshes and few.otger spring sights in the reserve Essex Birdwatching Society Essex Field Club youtu.be/G9FYty1A6HU

I decided to spend my day off looking for tortoise beetles and new-for-year shield bugs. I managed both, so I count it as a very successful day. Once I got my eye in, I saw them everywhere. Cassida sp. 🤩 #coleoptera #entomology Coleopterists Society of Britain and Ireland Essex Field Club

This rather leafy blog post is filled with blotches, wiggles, folds, creases & spirals. It will be a future mini guide for my future ramblings in the countryside. Sincere thanks to Antony Wren blueeyedbirding.blogspot.com/2022/11/late-a…

Picked up my copy of Essex Naturalist at the annual meeting of Essex Field Club today. Another bumper issue at 280pp, it's a diverse and interesting must for anyone interested in Essex wildlife, conservation and geology. Buy it! Or better still join EFC and get it free each year.

The latest episode of the Dragonfly Tour is up on my YouTube channel, covering my trip to Wake Valley Pond in Epping Forest looking for Downy Emeralds Here's a short clip, you can watch the full video here: youtube.com/watch?v=Sq4MZR… British Dragonfly Society FSC Epping Forest Royal Entomological Society

Also, took up mothing more seriously got 515 this year 665 for life!! Chrysoclista lathamella, argyresthia arceuthina, coleophora lixella, Blastobasis rebeli all possibly new for Essex from my garden! Huge thanks to Finley Hutchinson with all the ID help!

Estuary Marine Wildlife display exhibition at #Brightlingsea Museum, Essex CO7 0DT 8Apr-20May, (open over Easter weekend), species found by Roger Tabor BNA Pres & B'sea Droit-gatherer in B'sea waters, esp. B'sea Creek. From Porpoises to Ghost Shrimp!

The recent rain has helped the #wildflowers in our front #lawn. #Boreham #Essex #VC19; 32 plant species currently; images of Field Clary, Ragged Robin & Meadow Saxifrage #wildlifephotography BC Cambs and Essex Essex Wildlife Trust #NoMowMay BNAEssex Essex Field Club

2 weeks ago we went looking for the Distinguished Jumping Spider at Essex Wildlife Trust West Thurrock Marshes and I'm pleased to confirm its still there, with 3 males + 3 females found I made a short video of my search you can watch here: youtu.be/LxQBjDBWy-A BAS

One of the largest weevils I've seen in the British Isles, Liparus coronatus, at Purfleet-on-Thames (16 mm inc rostrum). #Curculionidae Max Barclay Buglife Essex Field Club LNHS VC18 South Essex