Elsewhere around south mainland - Ring Ouzel and Grey Wagtail at Quendale, Slavonian Grebe at Boddam, a Kestrel and a Merlin at Grutness and 4 White-fronted Geese and a Merlin at Scatness.
Just a reminder for those visiting the Shrike at Spiggie, the land owner has apparently requested that people should park at the Spiggie Hotel or in one of the passing places and NOT in the field, for those unsure about which field - it's this one -
4 comments:
This is why we get a bad name. A visiting birder surely?
Er. No. Don't think so Mark. I'm sure it belongs to a local as did the other van we saw there Friday with a lens sticking out.
Steve - what's your views of the Shrikes age? I think its a first winter bird and your pics showw plenty of scaling on the underparts.
Hi Phil, the shrike does show quite a bit of scaling on the underparts, but, shows unmoulted adult type tertials and greater coverts (lacking subterminal bar of juv), also tail feathers seem to be nice and rounded, again indicating adult. I would go for it being an adult female.
Cheers Steve. I was trying to make out a moult limit in the greater coverts suggesting it was a first winter bird but I'm not sure of the moult sequence for Isabelline Shrike and haven't got my Svenson to hand - if its in there!
We didn't get good enough views to determine tail feather shape but as you say rounded ones would indicate adult.
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