Red-backed Shrike

Dungeness - mild, cloudy, light airs - An early morning Tweet from DBO necessitated a change of plan from the local patch before doing breakfasts for guests from Croydon RSPB members group. A Red-backed Shrike is not a given anymore down here on passage, so a smart male found in the moat first thing was most welcome. When we arrived a small clutch of locals already had the bird pinned down at the back of the trench as it hawked insects from old fence posts and atop thorn scrub. Also noted, Peregrine, Wheatear, Stonechat and a singing Black Redstart.

                                Red-backed Shrike in the Moat

                                Singing Black Redstart

                                Barney enjoying the sunshine

  An evening visit over the local patch and along Kerton Road pit delivered very little apart from a lone Common Sandpiper over the water, while yesterdays Whinchat had predictably moved on.
  Elsewhere today the Serin was still performing at Littlestone and a second Red-backed Shrike was found on the bird reserve along the Willow Trail (JH).