Roy's dawn patrol in the cold

First thing there was no sign of the Smew on Wilstone – possibly indicating a fairly rapid passage of this bird. However, the Redshank was still on the pool off to the right from the hide near the reeds and a Little Egret, possibly adult, flew out from the creek. Male Pintail was on the open water. Given what was seen later that I didn’t see and what I saw that others didn’t this possibly suggests that birds were quite mobile today and consequently elusive. One can only wonder what goes through the area when nobody is out looking (Roy Hargreaves)