Paul Donovan is a blogger who lives in Wanstead

The sighting of a corn snake in Wanstead Park came as a surprise - an exotic looking orange snake that looked like it belonged in much warmer climes.

Indeed, it was a surprise to learn that there had been other sightings in the locality over recent years.

One observer recalled how her daughter had a corn snake that had to be kept warm at all times. Maybe the Wanstead Park corn snakes are hardier souls?

They should certainly be welcome in the area, living as they do off rats and mice.

The corn snake, though, is but the latest foreign species to settle around here.

Parakeets are now a common sight around Wanstead Park and local gardens. Some escaped from private collections years ago and they have now become commonplace.

A walk around the ornamental lake in the park, particularly on a sunny day, will often yield the sight of the terrapins resting on logs.

Mink have become unwelcome visitors since their release from captivity a few years ago. I saw three mink a few years ago on the paths by the Ornamental lake.

Mink have been trapped but some are still around. There are hopes to attract otters to The Roding, which should see the disappearance of mink. The otter is about twice the size of a mink and they don’t get on.

There have also been American crayfish in the area in past years - another invasive species.

Going back, so many species have migrated to this land; rabbits came with the Romans, then there was the grey squirrel and the muntjac deer.

But then animals are no different from humans - we all migrated in at some point - just some are more recent arrivals than others.