The arrival of a Turkestan (red-tailed) shrike at Dunwich in Suffolk definitely caught my attention but the weather and work meant that it would have to stick around for a few days before I would get a chance to try for it. It was looking as though Thursday would be my first opportunity but a change of plans on Monday gave me a few spare hours and I could not resist heading over the border.
News that the bird had been showing well gave me hope that I would connect. On arriving at the car park, the large group of birders all focusing on a clump of scrub looked even more promising. Just a few paces from the car I got my first sighting of the shrike sitting out in plain view. A distant sighting but still thrilling.
I walked down to join the main group of birders watching from near the cliff. The views were a good deal closer and the shrike kept returning to the same spot. Great views over the next hour as it fed on a range of insects. It also spent a fair amount of time preening and showing off its beautiful plumage.
Over the next few hours the bird continued to feed and move around the small patch of scrub. On one occasion it popped up on the closest edge giving amazing views. Well worth the punishment my legs took from the gorse!
This was my third shrike in a week and my first new species this year. It did not disappoint at all and was well worth a trip to Suffolk.
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