Wanstead Wryneck

The Wryneck is now on day 4 - the one in 2010 stayed for 9 days, so there is still potentially time to catch up with it if you have not done so already. If you're looking for directions, take a look at this map. The bird is in area 17, known as the Lake House Road Migrant Scrub - pithy no? The favoured area is probably just a bit to the right of the number 7 - there is a group of small hawthorns, perhaps three of four of them, which stick up above the broom - the predominant plant. You'll be in the right place if you are stood looking at those with Lime Trees at your back, close to an obvious bend in the path, and with another path behind you leading off approximately south-east. One of the hawthorns has a lager can stuck in it, left there by some twat, rather than one of us as a deliberate Wryneck marker.The bird like the two hawthorns behind this. Hopefully that is about as clear as it can be, once you're on the ground it will all fall into place. The bird shows best in the morning, with just before 10am seemingly a good time, when it likes to come and catch some sun in one of the hawthorns. No doubt now I've said that it will never do so again... Once it moves off to feed on the ground, your chances of seeing it are very slim. Yesterday one group waited for approximately four hours before it showed again, and that sighting was only due to some "encouragement" of the booted kind. Parking: available on Lake House Road entirely free of charge, try and avoid just after the bend though. I'd park up opposite Richmond Way and come in from there, the paths are pretty obvious, you want the one about 30m in from the road, rather than the ones that runs alongside it. For those on public transport, Forest Gate and Wanstead Park stations (both BR) are probably closest. Walk down Centre Road and turn left along the right hand side of the gigantic Olympic police base, following the green fence, and turn right once you have got past the last mature trees at the far end.