I've been having "fun" killing time with my list updates. Helps stave off cabin fever! Had to laugh when it came to the Isabelline Shrike split. Isabelline (Daurian) or Red-tailed (Turkestan)? Piece of cake! Except...as far as I'm aware no Isabelline Shrike has been assigned to race...sorry species!!!? Could be a bit of a problem...
Bedtime reading
Here's a taster...Isabelline (or Red-tailed) Shrike" Lanius isabellinus has been treated in the past as conspecific with Red-backed Shrike L collurio (e.g. Vaurie, 1959) or with both Red-backed and Brown Shrike L cristatus (e.g. Dement’ev and Gladkov, 1954). Until recently, it has generally been treated as a separate species comprising four sub-species: two, phoenicuroides and speculigerus breeding in central Asia and migrating southwest, wintering in Arabia and NE Africa; two, isabellinus and tsaidamensis, breed in North China and are shorter distance migrants, wintering in Pakistan and NW India west to Iran.
Enough of that.
The good lady has a dentist appointment in York tomorrow. So yours truly is getting wrapped up for a "Big Sit" at NDC. The fresh air will do me good! Unfortunately it hasn't fully flooded yet despite the recent rains. Always last...but last to drain as well.
Plenty of Bird races today. The weather was kind to the troops...
My Winter birding will obviously be more sedate. Still, no need to rush, don't want to dry up before the Sand Martins...
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