Wanstead in the Mist

A chilly but glorious morning in Wanstead, with a low mist hanging over the ground. I was alone, no-one else on the Flats. Almost - Nick, another local birder, was on the other side of the Flats doing pretty much what I was doing, but I didn't see him until I had seen a few dog-walkers, so he doesn't count. For the purposes of eloquent prose, I was alone in the mist, with the scratchy chatter of Whitethroats emanating from the broom.


The Dunlin was gone, and I couldn't find the Redstart either. In fact I didn't see much at all. I got a brief glimse of the now dross Pheasant, attempted to stalk it, failed, and gave up. The most exciting moment, other than an amazing sunrise, was of a possible Ring Ouzel near Long Wood. As I rounded a corner it flew away from me and into cover, a distance of about two feet, so I didn't get long. Silently. In my brief glimse I fancied there was a flash of silver, but I could have been imagining it as I still need Ring Ouzel for my Wanstead year list. I'll be good and put it down as one that got away. I stayed for ten minutes, ten minutes longer than I had, but it didn't come out. As I got to the end of my road, ten minutes later than I said, the phone rang....