Arrived around 11:40 parked up and started walking down the path towards the pools where it has been frequenting. Walking down the path starting chatting to a guy who had seen it 40 mins earlier along the hedge opposite. around 100 Linnet where in the ash tree along the path and 10+ Mallard where on the pools. Walking left along the hedge line there where 2 Rats in the field seemingly unaware of me being there. Stopping in the corner to start scanning for the shrike showed a Kestrel hovering nearby and large flocks of Woodpigeon and Stock Dove moving in th distance. Not long later located the Shrike! One Great Grey Shrike was in the top of an oak at the bottom of the drive where it stayed for a good 20 mins before flying down into the hedge, even hovering for a bit. It then flew back into the top of the oak, obviously a very good lookout. It then flew down onto the ground looking for earthworms apparently. It then hoped up onto post and a large flock of Linnet flew over and it flew with them and was lost to view.
Walking back towards a few other guys who said they saw it take down a small bird and fly off with it! After this it flew into a hedge and we never saw it again. Walking back towards the car triumphant after finally connecting with Great Grey Shrike noted a massive flock of Linnet estimated at around 400+ and they were all perched on a wire and so I took several photos as they wouldn't all fit in one shot! Later on compressed them all into one photo (below) and counted 489! And there were still flocks of about 50 flying around, I'd say there are easily 600+ in the area.
a great post on a great bird, well done,the linnet flock was huge, never seen that many in ages, soe very good habitat here, english nature is doing something right..
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I know, Im looking at the website and how you get into the stewardship schemes for sagebury farm at upton perhaps.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff!
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