Lesser Grey Shrike

Lesser Grey Shrike in Northumberland; 3rd June 2009

The 3rd of June saw myself and Craig heading for an evening trip to Northumberland in heavy rain hoping to see a Lesser Grey Shrike present at the Long Nanny Burn area. This bird would be a new species for me, so I was particularly keen to see it!

We arrived at the Low Newton carpark just as the rain eased off. After a bit of a hike out we eventually located the shrike. This bird was a true gem, looking strikingly different from any other shrike species I have been lucky enough to see.

The bird showed well as it fed on sandhoppers on the beach. In addition to this bird the nearby tern colony was great value.