Saturday 27th September 2014

   So, after waiting all week, i finally drove to Spurn, East Yorkshire, or to be a bit more exact....Kilnsea. A Masked Shrike had been there since last Saturday, and with working all week, this was my first chance to get there. This was only the 3rd record for the UK, and as one was in Scotland.....too far, and the other was on Scilly.....after i had left, this was a new UK bird for me, and so worth the risk.....hopefully! There was a brilliant fall of birds last weekend, and most had stayed for a few days, but now were gradually disappearing, some, like the Olive-backed Pipit, i would have liked to have stayed, but the Shrike was the main one......

  My luck was in, as the bird was still there. It had been in that same field all week too.

   Sadly though, it was always on the FAR side of the field, while i was there. We waited for probably 3 hours, and it was still along the far fence line. So, i decided to go look elsewhere and come back later.

Wheatear

   We went to the Obs, but when we were told that there was NO car access anymore to the point, we decided to turn around and go to the Canal Scrape hide instead. There was a fairly late Wheatear showing well there, a Common Snipe & a Jack Snipe showed well, although never in the open enough for really good photos...




   So, back to the Shrike, fingers crossed it will come closer this time....Well good start, a lot less people at the viewing place, may help. After another frustrating hour or so, the bird moved along the fence, and then flew to the nearer hedge.....is this it?????? NO! It disappeared....

  People starting to give up from the viewing area, then one chap & his girlfriend went, and i was there on my own. A couple more people turned up...no sign, then the girlfriend came back to tell us, the bird was in the field, on the other side of the road. So, is it going to be closer....yes, but still hard work to photograph through the hedge....but at least i got a couple of shots at last.....

Masked Shrike (1st Winter)

   Not really as good as i would have liked, but got another day tomorrow, so fingers crossed again..