Despite the very wet and windy weather this prolonged autumn, how vivid are its colours this year. Every tree, each trembling leaf poised to be whisked away is aglow with vibrant autumn tints ranging right across the colour spectrum. Few artists could recreate this shimmering blaze of colour which even outshone the bonfires of Halloween and Guy Fawkes which by comparison pale into smoky insignificance.

The last dragonflies hawk hunt and glide, their green and blue colours contrasting with the fading vegetation around them; wings reflecting in weak sunshine hues of the tree-fringed water over which they hunt.

Notice the squirrels sporting new winter coats edged with russet to match the leaf-strewn grass over which they frolic and bound.

The robin, resplendent in recently renewed plumage proudly puffs out his chest and sings his territorial winter song. He challenges the authority of autumn's official colour, cheekily asserting that his red breast matches anything the trees have to display.

Recent rains have hastened the appearance of a multitude of fungi from the delicate white strands of candle snuff peeping shyly from woodland glades to the vivid red gaudiness of poisonous fly agaric, the classic 'toadstool' of many a fairy tale, while eagerly sought after will be the edible delights of the mushroom world such as boletis.

But remember, only people who are very confident in their knowledge of species identification should dare to pick something for the dinner table.