Thursday, January 03, 2008

Where're my bins! Don't panic! Don't panic!

Lots of snow so doing a little bit of work after breakfast, glance out of the kitchen window to the bird feeders. AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH what's that in the oak tree? Great Grey Shrike. It stared at me, I stared at it barely believing. "Louise look at this. Where are my bins?" Can't find bins, shrike feels the thumping of feet in the front room - small people dancing to David Bowie's Changes - and wisely decides on the peace of the valley bottom. Louise provides perfect description of Great Grey Shrike in flight as I fail to see it fly as I'm looking for my bins. Fail to relocate it in the valley bottom. Great bird, slightly frustrating brief view. Brilliant garden tick.

6 comments:

Stewart said...

Thats tremendous Alastair. Jammy sod! I hope it comes back for a photo opportunity...

Blyth Birder said...

That's just superb that is :)

Best garden tick we've had is 20 Waxwings a few years back.

They too were met with the same kind of panic, grabbing of bins & camera & rampaging of feet but they were unphased and hung around a while.....at least until the berry bush was devoured.

Alastair said...

No sign today but the weather has been grim and visibility poor. Hopefully there'll be an opportunity to have a bit of a look tomorrow. It would have been good to have got a pic .... so it goes. As far as I can recall it is not a species I have found before. I think I've gone 2 years without a find tick which is a bit of a surprise having moved to such a good area. So despite the brief view a great spur for the New Year.

darrell j prest said...

nice one

Nick Carter said...

A cracking record, there's one you were unlikely to get in Withens Clough!

Alastair said...

This time of year in Withens Clough I'd be lucky to see a bird.