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Egret

Driving down the Chess Valley earlier today my attention was drawn to a pair of swans on the river and just beyond them on the bank was an egret. I couldn't take my eyes off the road to be sure of the species of course. I don't get along this section of the valley often enough to be sure if this is a vagrant or a resident in the area. The last one that I saw in the valley was seven years ago. Later, returning home via Latimer and Ley hill there was a deat muntjac by the road which would have provided good feeding for the kites if the lane wasn't so well trafficed.

At home there has been no new variety although the regular flock of seven or eight long tailed tits always make enjoyable viewing on the feeder.

With the recent wet weather there is now an excellent flow in the Chess above the Town Bridge and the mallards seem to have taken up long term residence. After the long dry spell, with a weir cutting off the upper reaches there are no fish visible any more.

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