The sun was burning orange on the horizon as we sneaked out into the gardens for our shady rendez-vous. 4.40, in the rhododendrons, see you there.
It was a select gathering: a gaggle of web team members, some biologists, an editor and someone from IT. We stood in a row along the path behind the house and peered in the fading light at a bare tree above the rhododendrons.
There they were - the objects of our desire. Bramblings, the more upmarket, special Scandinavian cousin of our common chaffinch. To be precise, 37 bramblings were sitting together in the trees, getting ready to roost in the bushes below. Too often, you see them singly, so it was a real treat to see so many together.
The truth is that I was slightly disappointed. Seeing 37 bramblings was good, but unfortunately it was nearly dark and the birds were mere silhouettes. Knowing how good they look when it's not dark made it an anti-climax.
For that reason, there was unfettered joy in our office this morning when Lucinda spotted a handsome male brambling perching in the tree right outside our window! We got a good look at him - orange breast, black head, white tummy with black spots and yellow bill - before he flew off into the woods. Will he come back and grace our feeder?
Keep an eye out in your garden or local park for bramblings anytime now. There are plenty around this year, so keep checking those chaffinches and you may be rewarded. If you're not sure what you're looking at, try our bird identifier.