Eastern promise

Been a funny few days as far as birding is concerned. Last Friday I went to Norfolk for the Pallas's grasshopper warbler at Burnham Overy. Like the idiot that I am though, I parked my car in a ditch, literally parked, not through an accident, and rather than seeing the bird I had to spend 4 hours waiting for the AA to come and pull me out!! Back on the bike on Saturday though with a quick trip to Wormwood Scrubs for a short-staying red-backed shrike. Not great views but at least it slightly made up for the debacle on Friday!!
With my Monday free again, I had the choice of a speculative long-trip and an early start, which didn't appeal, or a shorter trip for a long-stayer, which did. The bird in question was a spotted crake, a member of the rail family and therefore a relative of the moorhen. I've seen one before in this country, 4 years ago, and it was awful views at Wilstone reservoir. This bird has been present for at least a week and to judge by the photos is giving ridiculously close views.
With the morning starting out wet, I left it till about 8.30 before setting out. The site was a new one, Hornchurch Country Park, near Romford in Essex. Basically a blast round the M25 then turn off and head through some rather unpromising industrial estates before reaching the park. It is a country park, rather than a nature reserve, which means the radio is more in favour of dog walkers and cyclists than twitchers. Directions were to walk past the visitor centre and go to the viewing area.

By the time I got there the rain had stopped albeit leaving behind a dank, grey day. There was a large sign-board looking out onto an area of marshy, damp ground with a small lake behind. For the first 10 minutes I scanned the area, picking up really good numbers of snipe, a green sandpiper, Cetti's and blackcaps in the bushes but nothing in the mud near me.

I was watching a rather cross robin chase off any other small bird in the area when a movement in the reeds nearby caught my eye.

For a brief instant I thought it was just a moorhen, then I thought perhaps water rail, but finally it came out into the open and showed itself well - a spotted crake in all its glory. Definitely not a moorhen - beautiful mottled brown back  - or a water rail - not large red bill - but a supposedly shy bird strutting around no more than 20 yards away. For 20 minutes I had it all to myself as it worked its way across the reeds feeding busily as it went. You can see all the bits you need to confirm the ID. Long legs with giant toes for walking in mud, a short, orange-coloured bill and that stunning spotted marking down its flank and chest. 

Although it was reasonably confiding it was still, like all its relatives, nervous, and as a few more people started to arrive it became a bit more difficult to see, at least out in the open. It knew we were there, but as well as 4 or 5 "birders", we were also attracting a crowd of casual onlookers who, as soon as it poked its beak out the reeds would point vigorously at it and shout "its there" and then wonder why it beggared back into cover again!!

Eventually though the crowd thinned leaving only the hard core, and amazingly, it came back out into the open and gave even better views than before.

 I finally left just after 12, having spent over 2 hours watching it on and off. A really nice little reserve  clearly benefiting from having a star performer drawing the crowds. With the weather systems turning this week, I'm hoping Friday and then a weekend in Weymouth might drop me in a few more niceties.  Year list now up to the dizzy height of 257 and three months, including October, to go!