MAGIC BUSH & WRYNECK AT WANSTEAD

The Magic Bush

After yesterdays double dip on the Wryneck at Wanstead I was encouraged by the senior of the Jim's to try again today. So we set off at 6.30am and made the five mile journey down the now unblocked M11. Parked in Lakehouse Road we make the short walk to the SSSI where a couple of eager locals are already on site.

We line up in front of the "Magic Bush" a closely guarded secret amongst the Wanstead patch listers.

Here yesterday I had Pied Flycatcher. Today we have regular visits from a male Redstart, Garden Warbler, Whitethroats, Lesser Whitethroats, Black Caps, Robin, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tits and Dunnock. Overhead we had Sprawk, RN Parakeets, Cormorant, Geese, Ducks and a Jay amongst other corvids.

We watched the magic bush for three hours..yes three hours watching a bush!

Just as the back ache was getting the better of me and I'd started to move another birder put up the balloon....."Wryneck top right quite deep in the bush" We all got on it and although it was not sitting out we had good scope views of it before it dropped down to the ground again.

I decided to take a long walk round to see if it was visible from the other side.
Having walked about 50 yards past the bush I cut through the brambles to make my way around only for the bird to fly up infront of me and land in a nearby tree. I called Jim on the phone and he put out the message to the others still standing at the "magic bush" and they all managed to get on the bird again.

A great bird and only five miles from home.

A footnote: Sometimes when you visit peoples local patch for a twitch they can be a little pompous and protective but on this patch every single patch worker / lister appears really happy to share "their patch" with those that visit, tick and move on and this is a terrific area which is really well worked by the locals.