Thursday morning had me checking out a few Sites around the Village. The Southern end turned up trumps, with my first Tree Sparrows (P.126, H.104) of the Year, a VERY welcome if belated sighting. I had a couple in the eaves of a house...
...then c20 in the hedge on the road...
Then at 11.40...
Bempton Cliffs RSPB, E.Yorkshire ISABELLINE/RED-TAILED SHRIKE 1w in bush North of visitor near owl box
Here we go. Taxonomy rearing its ugly head once more. Shrikes are particularly confusing...well, they are for me! Different authorities hold different views. Lumping and splitting always clouds matters, as does the use of different names for the same Race/Species?!!!
Anyway there was a possibility of a Tick...IF it was Isabelline/Daurian and not Red-tailed..I'm confusing myself now! Any Shrike sighting is special so I headed North. There was a Great Grey on offer also. I arrived around 2 but there was no further news. I decided (wrongly in hindsight) to have a quick look for the GG as it was close to the main road. This proved fruitless in my 30 minute vigil which was ended when two Birders showed me a pic of the other Shrike!
I arrived at Bempton around 3, parked and walked down to the Visitors Centre. No obvious cluster of Birders, so I asked a couple sat on a bench if the Bird had been sen recently? They casually told me it was still present near the Owl Box...which was an obvious relief!
I was soon viewing the Shrike at around 100 yds. It stood out like a sore thumb in the bright sunshine. It struck me immediately as being VERY pale, even with the bright sunshine...
I set my stall out on a bench by the Visitors Centre and had a very enjoyable hour watching the Bird perform through my 'scope in typical Shrike style...
Time will tell I guess?
Today I returned, mainly on the strength of a late find by John McLoughlin. An adult male Red-flanked Bluetail...no less! Alas, no sign today, nor of the elusive and mobile Great Grey Shrike... I gave it 2 hours! After lunch I had a crack at the Icterine Warbler but again no joy. I've had better days. However, just visiting these sites and enjoying the fantastic autumn weather was pleasure enough.
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