Having been working nr Carlisle the previous night, I had been scrutinising Wader flocks on the Solway at Port Carlisle for the past five hours, when the surprising news of a possible Steppe Grey Shrike at Alston came through on the pager.
This was too good an opportunity for me to hopefully expand my experience with SGS which currently stands at the grand total of one individual, the 1stw in Lincolnshire in November 2008, and no experience of this species abroad.
Upon arrival, It didn't take long to find the bird, but what I was confronted with left me of the opinion for some time that the bird appeared to be a Great Grey Shrike.
The only other person present, Cumbrian birder Craig Shaw also independently formed this opinion and this is how it remained for some time until we both began chewing on the fact that neither of us could remember a record of a summering GGS in Britain in at least the last 25 years that we had both been active birders.
So, with the stats apparently stacked against a summer GGS and with no literature to hand, coupled with the messy state of the birds plumage which we thought was likely to be 2nd calendar year, we elected to err on the side of caution and call it a Grey Shrike sp pending further research/opinion.
Here are a few more images of the bird:
Six hours on the patch today was rewarded with an Osprey in the area, showing on+off from 12:05-14:27 when it finally appeared to head off S/SE in improving weather. The juv Garganey remains for the 21st day, 1+ Green Sandpiper in the area and LRP heard. A f/imm Merlin flying south at 15:10 was the first of the autumn.
18th Aug: This imm Spoonbill flew in to Eddersthorpe Flash shortly after I had set up my scope and tripod to begin searching for a Spotted Crake found earlier in the morning. No joy was had with the Crake in three hours, but the Spoonbill remained, 14 Black-tailed Godwits in two parties dropped in and out, 4 Green Sandpiper, 1 Dunlin, a Garganey, and a family party of Yellow Wagtails were noted at this excellent site.
Above: Juv Spotted Redshank, Old Moor RSPB - 19th Aug 2009.
Above: Clouded Yellow, Brockholes Wetland LWT, Lancs, 14th Aug 2009. Presumably the 'yellow Butterfly sp.' seen briefly by Robin Shenton y/day.
Above & below: Juv Little Grebe, Brockholes Wetland LWT - 14th Aug 2009.
Above: Juv Garganey, Brockholes Wetland LWT, Lancs, 14th Aug 2009. Present for the 14th day.
Above: 3 juv Greenshank, Brockholes Wetland LWT - 9th Aug 2009.
Above: Juv Garganey, Brockholes Wetland LWT - 1st Aug 2009. The second Garganey of the autumn at the site.
Above: Ad Common Tern, present for at least three hours in the morning.
Above: Whimbrel, Brockholes Wetland LWT - 1st Aug 2009.
Having been working nr Carlisle the previous night, I had been scrutinising Wader flocks on the Solway at Port Carlisle for the past five hours, when the surprising news of a possible Steppe Grey Shrike at Alston came through on the pager.
Above: Adult Little Egret, Brockholes Wetland LWT - 27th July 2009.
Above & below: Juv Green Sandpiper, Brockholes Wetland LWT - 27th July 2009.