The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Further to a BirdGuides post on Mon 26th December and repeated at 09.13 today 27th December (Tuesday) :

" Great Grey Shrike at Folkingham, Lincs - still in hedge opposite the house with the blue lights at TF 064332 this morning".........I arrived at the stakeout just after 11.30.

The lady of the house " with the blue lights" happened to be outside as I walked past (having parked my car off the road c 100 yards past the house) and she kindly informed me that her son had been watching the Shrike from the road near the house earlier in the morning.

Within 5 minutes or so, I had located the bird at the top of a bush to the left of the house at the edge of a beetfield. I then kept it in view while I got closer and a few minutes later, after having muddied my footwear beyond recognition with beetfield mud and having tripped partly down a rabbit hole, I was enjoying much closer views of the Shrike perched on wires crossing another beetfield towards the village. The bird changed perching points several times (on wires/bushes/trees) before I left the area at 12.35, and it had been showing prominently virtually non-stop with the white parts of its plumage clearly visible to the naked eye.

I would think that the bird will stay around the area for the rest of the day at least.

I suspect that the Shrike is the original Sleaford bird first reported in mid-November. I have been tracking its movements on the web :
..14 Nov - reported at Kelby (Robert Townhill) near Sleaford
..15 Nov - reported at nearby Rauceby Warren
..30 Nov - reported in nearby Wilsford area by Hugh Dorrington
..22 Dec - reported at Haceby 4 miles or so S of Wilsford
..26/27 Dec - now reported at Folkingham 3 or 4 miles SE of Haceby.

On my way back to BBH, I spotted a skein of c 60 Pink-footed Geese over Aswarby.

Freddy
PS. Hugh,
If the Shrike continues moving S/SE, only another 4 miles or so from Folkingham will bring it to Dunsby.

Hi Freddy

Sheila and I arrived at the site at Folkingham about 1:45 but couldn't locate the Shrike so left about 2:30.

The man of the house with blue lights kindly allowed us to park on his drive and informed us that "some people" had seen the bird about an hour and a half before we arrived.

Such is birding!

Regards,

Colin and Sheila

Colin and Sheila,
That is unexpected news especially as the bird was showing so well and was so active 11.30 - 12.30ish but as you say, birding can be like that sometimes. I assume you covered all the bushes and trees of both beetfields especially the one towards the village with the wires.

I do know from previous experience, including the Tetney Shrike in November, that they can sometimes sit out of sight on a 'covered' branch for ages, if the mood takes them.

Good luck if the bird stays around Folkingham and you decide to go for it again.

Freddy

For those who might like to try their luck this afternoon :

BirdGuides Wednesday 28th December (12.12) :

" Great Grey Shrike - Lincs - Folkingham......still along the hedgerows opposite the house with blue lights at TF 064332 late morning. (reported as seen at 11.50. )

Please note :
If the Shrike isn't showing near the road, it may well be in the trees or bushes at the back of the beetfield opposite the 'house' ie. c 100+ yards distant..... OR
somewhere in the trees, bushes, on the wires in the 2nd beetfield towards the village, ie. to view c 200+ yards along the road from the 'house.'

Good Luck

Freddy

Found it as soon as we stepped out of the car today. It was showing very well but rather distant at 13:00.

C&S

Colin and Sheila,
Super news.
Glad you caught up with the Shrike, especially as I think it may well be the bird that was first reported in the Sleaford-Rauceby Warren area in mid-November.

Freddy
PS.......and here endeth my 1002nd contribution to the Forum.

It moved from the hedge near the house to the hedge nearer the village at 10 this morning. Showed well perching and also good views of it hunting over the beet field. Later it moved back to the hedge near the house.

Pleased you saw it Colin as I didnt have your number.

Hugh

Had the bird in sight throughout my visit this morning but the wind was blowing a gale and the sunlight was in your eyes but the bird showed about 80 yards away in the hedge opposite the House.

n.b. The field next to the hedge is a Rape Seed Oil field not a Beet Field as mentioned in earlier posts

_________________
http://birdmanbirds.blogspot.com/

Russell,
Of course I knew it was a Rape Seed Oil field but as this is a family website I glossed it over by calling it Beet.

Freddy

PS. You didn't put a full stop at the end of your sentence after 'posts'.
PPS. Two nice photos of the Shrike.

GGS still visible today but only from distance apart from when I arrived at around 12.30pm when it was in the garden of the house opposite the field it is currently occupying, it probably saw me with my camera and thought 'I am off'

Thanks to Freddy for directions to the location again

_________________
Regards
Steve



http://www.stevenesbitt.co.uk

Glad you caught up with the Shrike, Steve, and given the light conditions, it's a really super photo.

Freddy

It was me that reported it on the 15th at Rauceby Warren.

I saw another (or same) (in flight) across A52 on 23rd December a mile or so East of Osbourneby Roundabout around 08.30 in the morning.

I saw the bird at Folkingham yesterday, and it looked to the best of my ability the same bird I saw at Rauceby Warren.