Two and a half Shrikes

A Great Grey Shrike is back at Iping Common and I went up there on Friday to try to get a look at it. Bizarrely for me, success at the first attempt. A quick skirt round the common by MTB found the Shrike showing well from the lower path from the car park on the left hand side; it could also be viewed (by scope) from the top path. Also plenty of Fieldfares, Redwings, Goldcrests, Stonechats and Tits various as well as a flyover Crossbill. I popped into Ambersham on the way back and had what was almost certainly another Great Grey Shrike fly over me but I didn't get the bins on it in time so goes down as a "half-chance"; I'll bet one's reported there sometime soon though. Just as I pulled into the drive at home the phone went off and it was PH telling me of a Great Grey Shrike at Ham viewpoint at Medmerry so off I went again. The bird showed after about ten minutes and after an impressive low fly-by sat on the fence by Ham pools for a while before ironically being disturbed by a cyclist.



Great Grey Shrike, Iping Common:

Great Grey Shrike, Ham pools: