Wednesday 18th produced 36 Gadwall including juvs, a female Teal, two juvenile Water Rails still on the south side of Meadow Flash plus one calling on the west side of the reserve pond, a Common Sandpiper, three Snipe, two Common Terns, 132 Black-headed Gulls (highest count for over a week) and 25 Goldfinches but the birds of the day were two Little Egrets that were seen at 2030 and three Tawny Owls (two juveniles and a female) calling at Buck Bridge at 0030 (on 19th). The 19th produced two Grey Lag Geese, three Teal, a juvenile Water Rail on the reserve pond plus another calling below the mound, the Common Sandpiper again and two Snipe. Four Common Terns were also present, a party of nine Sand Martin flew south (first movement of the autumn) and there was a singing Goldcrest at Buck Bridge. Insects on 18th included on Peter Fidler Reserve 30 Large Red-eyed and 20 Emerald Damsels, three Emperors and a male Ruddy Darter whilst butterflies included five Comma and 25 Common Blues. On 19th around Meadow Flash three male Emperors, three Brown and one Southern Hawker and still three Black-tailed Skimmers. Butterflies included an Essex Skipper, a Holly Blue and five Commas amongst the commoner species but there was no sign of any White Letter Hairstreaks on the Elm just south of the southern flash though by the time I got there it had clouded over