November 2nd, 2020 
Nick 
Chasing around after rare birds is a style of biring that can either be a rewarding addiction, if you connect with the species you are looking for, or a disappointment if you end up in some supermarket car park only to be told that you should have been there half an hour ago. I don’t often chase after birds but on the few occasions that I have I have had the latter experience more often than the former including last week when I went looking for a Great Grey Shrike that had been seen on several days at Capel Fleet, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent. I wasn’t that bothered as I had a nice day, seeing a superb male Hen Harrier among other things but a few days later I went back on the off chance that it might still be around along with the fact that I just like birding in this lonely area.
At first there was no sign of any shrike and as I was chatting to a couple of birders, including a very enthusiastic young birder, I was more focussed on spotting raptors than anything else but when the conversation came around to “a Great Grey Shrike was seen here a few days ago” something quite weird happened.
With this utterance I replied that I hadn’t seen it only to turn around, have my eye drawn to some movement which turned out to be a Great Grey Shrike catching prey and returning to its perch. Talk about good timing!
Over the next ten minutes or so this shrike performed very nicely for us, flitting around between bushes, catching some sort of invertebrate prey and loafing around on a variety of perches, from which it could search for more food.
Having shown off when the weather was fairly calm and warm the bird moved on to some bushes along the road for shelter as the weather changed and became more windy. Other birders moved on but I spent some more time in the area and got lucky with the shrike coming fairly close to me, taking refuge from the wind in a hawthorn tree.
Instead of harrassing this bird and scaring it away I left it to its business; although I would have liked better photographs I left it alone for others to enjoy. A nice surprise and a Merlin hunting Turnstones on a nearby beach made two birding highlights for a blustery day.
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Great photographs especially of the GG Shrike and LSW. you were really lucky to find the latter. It has eluded me for two years now despite several trips to the Canterbury ring woods. as I live in Sidcup a LSW in Sutton-at-Hone would be much more accessible. I believe I spoke to you at Grain Country Park on October 16 where we shared a seat with my pal Jim near the car park. we were looking for a ring ouzel but you sent us in the wrong direction ! Walked about a mile with no luck and returned to the seat too knackered to try the other way. Next morning we saw a Kentos report that the bird had been seen in the opposite direction.
That topped a miserable morning since you told us we had missed ticks like kittiwake, little gull, gannet etc. At least we got the Cattle Egrets at Grain.
Space restriction compels me to sell off many of my bird and wildlife books and I wonder whether I could send you a list to see if you are interested ? I would need an email address or I could put it on this comment panel. Is that OK ?
Eric Brown
Hi Eric, I have been back to the same spot a few times and have not seen the LSW again. It could still be around with tit flocks but I have been visiting that spot since I was about 5 years old and this was only the second time I have seen this species there. It is an easy location to visit though and if there is a really cold spell it can turn up some good birds.
It wasn’t me that you met a Grain. After I found the Ring Ouzel I don’t remember speaking to anyone & indeed I put on the KOS site in which direction it was. Must have been some other devious birder!
Email me your book list – nickupton@thaibirding.com
Cheers