Autumn: when a cold artist is awake before the sun.

The season of mists and fruit, and also birds, some tall and familiar.

Others lively, but more easily overlooked. Reed buntings warm the marshes.

Dunnocks take to the hedges.

And waterbirds of all sizes scurry across mudflats.

These are ruff, absurd and ceremonial in their summer breeding plumage but relatively low key now.

Except for one – this ruff is partly leucistic, hence the white feathers on its head and neck. 

They are visitors here; very few ruff breed in England, and most will continue on to Africa.

The mists will continue to grow.