October ended with a sunny day. The millstream trees had turned to yellows and red.

Fallen leaves added to the colour. It was near the end of half term. Children were in the wonderful Abbey Meadow Playpark. Lots of people were out walking.

This male Mallard among the autumn leaves is regaining his breeding colours after the summer molt.

The usual water birds (swans, mallard ducks and moorhen)

had been joined by black-headed gulls. They have mostly lost their dark summer heads for the winter. They sit lightly on the water, floating like paper boats.

Hawthorn berries are an important autumn food for wildlife. They often remain well into winter.

And as the sun went down the red sky in the west gave the Millstream a fiery glow.