The
Great Grey Shrike was the highlight of a trip to Harwood Forest today. While watching it through the scope we saw the Shrike drop onto the ground and catch a lizard, which it impaled on the top of some dead sticks. The bird flew away so we decided to get a closer look at it's larder to find it had caught a male Common Lizard. By the time we had returned to the original spot we had been watching the Shrike from, it had returned and was eating another lizard which it had also impaled on a different pile of sticks nearby. An awesome experience!
Also in the area were at least 2
Goshawks, 8+
Buzzard, 3+
Sparrowhawk and 3+
Kestrel, along with 2
Stonechats and my first singing
Common Chiffchaff of the year.
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| Great Grey Shrike |
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| One of the Shrike's larders |
Interesting images Jonny, and always good to see the wider behaviour odf any species.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant post,I see the shrike is living up to it's nickname,the Butcher Bird.
ReplyDeleteJohn.