Saturday 7 March 2009

All shrikes are grey*

*not strictly true.

I like shrikes, they're real smashers. So I joined what seemed to be the rest of the Northumberland birding community with a hike up to Black Lough for the great grey shrike that has been frequenting the area for the past few days. Like many Northumberland folk, it was my first visit to this site, and highlighted the vast open space that Northumberland has... how many snowy owl etc go undetected in the UK? Credit to the finder of this bird, I trust it was found by chance as it was miles away! I've seen quite a few ggs over the years, but this is the first one that I've seen hovering - kestrel like, very interesting behaviour.

Before anyone grumbles about getting too close to the bird etc, the image featured with this post is an old photograph of a ggs that was at Arcot Pond in 2005. Much more obliging. Did not even have to hike up a muddy track up a very steep hill to see it...

Chips at Amble were nice, but the visit to Bothal Pond afterwards was void of green-winged teal. Again.

4 comments:

Blyth Birder said...

I'm thinking 'BTO Bird Atlas' tetrad or 'Forestry Worker' who knows birds as the finder 'cos it was off the beaten track?

Looks a great site for the a breeding pair of RT Diver? :)

John Malloy said...

Yeah, the Gubeon Firecrest was picked up last year on a tetrad visit too. Just shows what can be hidden away!

Alan Tilmouth said...

It was Ian Douglas ex NWT Druridge Warden on a country walk.

John, GWT seems to be more active in the mornings as I keep getting in when passing before 9.00am.

John Malloy said...

Cheers Alan.I'll have to try early morning sometime.