Great Grey Shrike

In the last blog I complained about the shortage of good birding days during October but we then manage to squeeze in one good day just before the end of the month.

Dave and I went back to Wrens Warren, in the Ashdown Forest, to have another look for the Great Grey Shrike. We had tried it last Friday but had seen very little in the way of bird movement. It really had lived up to it's other name of "Eeyores sad and gloomy place", with the lighting down in the valley so dull compared to the surrounding hills.

Today was completely different, a bit slow to start but cold, crisp and clear. A couple of wet feet early on whilst traversing the valley reminded me that my favourite boots, splits and all, must be replaced for the coming winter and distant Fieldfares held promise of things to come.

A couple of passing birders tipped us off to the location of the Shrike but just at that moment Dave had picked up a Dartford Warbler in the gorse nearby. A good picture of a Dartford takes priority over a Shrike so we focused on that target first.

It did pop out on top of the gorse once, a bit further away than I would have like and not for as long as I would have liked and I did get a picture, but it's not the one I wanted. Just didn't manage to pull focus quick enough and it was gone. Or perhaps I should say they were gone as there was a second bird there, so probably a pair. Hopefully we will get a second chance later in the year.

Dartford Warbler

A quick lunch, a chance to dry the feet out a bit and then we trekked up the hill in search of the Shrike. They are not a bird that hides away so once in the right area it was easy enough to find.

Camera settings were interesting. With a white bird in bright sunlight I had to underexpose by a full two stops to prevent the picture from being burnt out. This then underexposes the background trees giving a black background and a slightly false looking studio type shot.

Coughing up a pellet

Unlike the Dartfords the Shrike seemed quite relaxed about our presence, flying off a couple of times but then returning to the same perches.

We eventually lost track of it when it was pursued by a Kestrel. The Shrike took refuge in a densely branched tree whilst the Kestrel sat and then hovered over the top but was unable to get past the branches. It was a half hearted pursuit and I don't think the Kestrel was intent on killing the Shrike but it may have been seeking to pinch food from it or to chase it out of its hunting territory.

Whatever the intent, it was enough to ensure that the shrike did not return during the next half hour or so that we waited there.

Well pleased with the time spent observing the Shrike we were about to leave when a dozen or more Crossbills flew into an adjacent tree on their way into a drinking pool. I missed the first few shots as I had forgotten to take the couple of stops underexposure out of the camera but I still managed a reasonable record shot.

Some of the Crossbills

The drinking pool was nearby and although we could not get close without risking disturbing them, you do sometimes get the benefit of lugging a big lens combination all the way up the hill.

A flock of fourteen fieldfares flying down the valley as we were on the way out finished what was one of the best birding days in a long time.