It has been a busy few days on the reserve with a beautiful evening for the last late night opening of the year.
The Bat Talk and Walk was fully booked and Ros was a star at once again captivating her audience of mainly first timers. As the light dropped they were treated to a full on soundscape of bat noise with Leisler's, Soprano and Common Pipistrelles and Daubenton's echoing across the sonic airways.
Amazingly, Richard Easy got some shots of one of the Pips as it hunted above the moth trap bulb set up in the Wildlife Garden!
Mothing was pretty good with Jersey Tiger, Chinese Character, Willow Beauty, Setaceous Herbrew Character, Lime-speck Pug, Peach Blossom, Old Lady, Orange Swift and a gleaming Burnished Brass...
Burnised Brass - Phil Mann
Satin Wave
Greylags at dusk - Tony O'Brien
Foreshore at sundown - Bernard Bradshaw
Lights on and there's somebody home - Bernard Bradshaw
Saturday was a bit of a blur for me what with getting things ready for Sunday and thankfully the 1st September dawned calm and still and the two gazebos I had put up the night before were still standing!
The fair itself was s great success with a good crowd of people during the day and over 30 stalls spreadout around the centrefor everyone to persuse. There was a lovely atmosphere and the weather held true to its words and stayed dry and settled.
We even managed to persude Julie to actually sell a couple of her wondrous blankets
Mazzi Makes was on form with her decorated boxes
Julie and Rosie were busy making dragonflies...
Thanks to Joan Burton for most of these images and for running a little stall to promote the South Essex RSPB Reserves with hubby Keith.
As the day drew to a close we kept the doors (and cafe) open so that people could stay and wait for the arrival of the Round The World Clipper yachts as they headed out of the Thames on the first leg of their mammoth 11 month voyage.
At about 6.30pm they came around Coldharbour Point and although the light frustrated the photographers it was great to wave them off on their adventure.
The last few stragglers ambled off site and we at last closed for the day. Somehow I had walked 13miles around the building during the course of the day - no wonder my feet hurt!