Local accident

My Wanstead year-list tripped up by accident earlier this week when I unfortunately heard a Chiffchaff whilst walking to work. Ooops. I had been hoping to get all the spring migrants in a single concentrated visit later on, but had forgotten that my ears still work. After a frenetic January I can now barely remember the patch, but hopefully the upcoming four day weekend will allow me to reacquaint myself with it. 

I was about to say I have not missed much but I have - Hawfinch, Woodcock, Rook, Red Kite, Marsh Harrier to name but a few. Oh, and Med Gull. Nevertheless I need to go back many years to find one where, by the end of March, I am approaching 80 species. Usually this is the mid-April mark, and barring my pre-emptive Chiffchaff strike I've not yet had a sniff of a spring migrant. Even the joys of my first Wheatear still await me. 

I had a vague plan to wake up early both today and yesterday, but was sent back to bed by rain hammering on the windows. The same may be true of the upcoming bank holiday - it looks miserable three days out, with only Sunday dry and the other days a potential wash out. Spring feels as far away as it has been for a while, but let's see, a lot can change in a short period of time.