Yesterday on Worth Marshes an ISABELLINE SHRIKE was found,word of this reached me at lunchtime and as it was a new bird for me,I took the short journey to Worth mid afternoon. Not being sure of the exact location I stumbled around hoping to see other birders watching the bird eventually found it with the help of Barry Woolhouse.
ISABELLINE OR DAURIAN SHRIKE- These birds breed in Mongolia and western China and winter in East Africa,Occasionally they are blown or wander off course and end up here,according to Bird Guides there have been only 174 accepted records for the UK.This idividual was very confiding and flew to within a few feet of us,if only all birds were this co operative,but then again,would the skills of field craft be lost, which is half the fun anyway.
After this we popped over to Dicksons Corner and were lucky enough to see another bird which is a bit of a rarity these days,the DARTFORD WARBLER,which showed typically briefly in the gorse by the road.
In the morning I had spent a pleasant couple of hours at Bockhill,in the company of Tony Morris,still a few RING OUZELS about and lots of CHIFF CHAFFS but no wing bars could be seen on any of them.Still a few butterflies aroun in the warm sunshine-painted lady,red admiral,comma,and at least 4 clouded yellows.
COMMA
CLOUDED YELLOW
Super shrike shots Phil.
ReplyDeleteHi,great pics of the Shrike,very nice.
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