3rd Nov - Grass frost, sunny spells, clouding over later and dull afternoon, light SW 9C

This morning I visited Stanford reservoir which proved interesting.  A Water Rail was showing on the dam, but soon shot in to cover two  others were 'squealing' in the main Reed bed.

I could hear the calls of two Ring-necked Parakeets in nearby trees near the old sandpit, but could not see them from my viewpoint.  This is the first time I have recorded them here, their slow spread from the south (London area) is continuing.

Out on the water there was plenty of Wigeon today, four Teal, 10 Shoveler, one female Pontail, c20 Pochard, four Goldeneye, then I spotted Scaup, in fact three. These are not common here and often short stayers, it looked like a female and two juv/first winter females.

A Kimgfisher dashed by, a Grey Heron flew off while both Pied and Grey Wagatail were flying about.  A small number of Redwing and Fieldfare were feeding on the bushes.  Many Long-tailed Tits, with Goldcrests were roving about.

A few Gulls were on the water, mostly Black-headed and some Herring, on top of the withdraw tower stood a Yellow-legged Gull.

I also spotted a couple of fungi growing, one in the grass the other a bracket fungus on a old tree stump.