Well it looks like autumn has now arrived and we hope you looking forward to watching the leaves turning as much as we are.

Last week you spotted a few creatures who set up their homes in and around water, like the great crested newt, which is the largest of our newts. Interestingly, to attract a female the males arch their backs, stand on their front legs and wave their tails around!  You also spotted the water vole, which is much larger than voles and unlike the newts will often nibble the grass in front of their burrows so that it looks like they have a lawn. Our small furry friends need to watch out for the other species recorded last week, the tawny owl, which eats voles and other small animals and can turn its head 270 degrees.

If you want to see the autumn colours one of the best reserves to see this is our Lea Wood reserve, you could also take a stroll along the nearby Comfort Canal. Where ever you go out and about this autumn we are looking forward to reading about your wildlife sightings across Derbyshire. To submit your own sighting and be featured in a future blog go to www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/record-sighting.

Thank you to Kay Fairest, John Portwood, Sarah Jane Evans and Claire Hanley-Opik for submitting their wildlife sightings.