Mike's Natural Musings: The Great Grey Shrike at Last.

Friday, 20 February 2015

The Great Grey Shrike at Last.

A good forecast for Tuesday 20th February encouraged me to plan a session at Scallows to reacquaint myself with the wood and grounds. Breakfast over, I packed up a flask and sandwiches and heading for Wold Newton planning to have yet another look for the elusive great grey shrike that has been in residence here most of the winter. This time I found it as soon as I arrived at the location. It was perched in to top of a small tree surveying its territory. I quickly parked up and wound down the window, fully expecting it to fly as soon as I poked the lens out of the widow. To my delight it took no notice and I was able to take a good number of images against a perfect blue sky before it moved on. Feeling satisfied and smug I drove up the road a short way to turn round and on my way back saw that the bird had returned and was posing again in the same tree so I was able to secure another batch of images of this superb bird. Sometimes known as the butcher bird from it's habit of hanging its prey of lizards, insects and small mammals on thorns, the shrike does not breed here but the UK is part of its wintering range.

Feeling very pleased with myself I moved onto Scallows where I had a wonderful few hours rediscovering the wood and grounds. There was a fabulous display of snowdrops and aconites and nuthatches were calling constantly. Three buzzards hunted over the wood and I had excellent views of a goldcrest and tree creeper. Great, blue, coal and long tailed tits were busy hunting for food.

From Scallows I called off for some time with the little owls on the way home. What an amazing day.

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