With Kev @kev07713 attending a wedding and thunderstorms in the forecast, I opted to stay in bed and keep an eye out for anything interesting happening locally. Just before 9:00 a.m., a report of a red-backed shrike near Luton grabbed my attention. I checked the weather outside and found it was actually quite decent - it could be the same over there ...
It would be just over an hour's drive, so I could make it there and back by lunchtime if luck was on my side. After a quick breakfast, I set off with a rough plan of where to park.
As I approached the area, a great structure rose from the ground - a Lidl distribution centre. This is apparently Lidl's largest Regional Distribution Centre globally as the retailer continues to expand its infrastructure to meet growing customer demand. Spanning 1.2 million square feet and stretching half a kilometre in length, the facility serves 150 stores and create up to 1,500 jobs - nearly three times more than any other Lidl GB warehouse.
I circled the area where the shrike had been reported and approached a roundabout with no choice but to go straight through. However, to the right, there was a spot to pull over, where three cars were already parked. Two men, one with binoculars, were unloading scopes and boots from their vehicle. I parked and joined them as we walked to the reported location, where about half a dozen people were already gathered. The bird was perched on a branch right in front of them. It had been sitting there for at least twenty minutes and would remain there for another twenty.
Red-backed shrikes are fascinating birds known for their striking appearance and unique behaviour, particularly their habit of impaling prey on thorns or barbed wire, earning them the nickname "butcher bird." In the UK, they were once regular breeders, particularly in southern England, but their breeding population declined sharply during the mid-20th century, leading to their classification as extinct as a breeding species by the 1990s.
However, they are still occasional visitors to the UK, primarily during their migration, typically passing through in the spring (May and June) and autumn (August to October) on their way to and from their breeding grounds in continental Europe and their wintering grounds in Africa.
Recent years have seen small numbers of red-backed shrikes sighted in various parts of the UK, particularly along the coastlines and in areas like Norfolk, the Isles of Scilly, and parts of Scotland. It is nice to have one inland.
The plumage of male and female red-backed shrikes differs noticeably. The male has a striking grey crown and nape, giving it a sleek, capped look, with a prominent black "bandit" mask that runs across the eyes - the females and juveniles lack the grey crown and the bold black mask seen in males and instead their head is more subdued, with a brownish or greyish tone; the mask, if present, is much fainter and less defined.
Eventually the bird moved from its perch, not through choice but because a magpie came in and flushed it. It wasn’t long before we spotted it again, more in the centre of the bush. In many ways it was better for photography rather than having the pale blue/grey sky behind. The bird then moved around this and the next bush, catching bees and flies.
The bird briefly darted to the right and landed on the footpath, but I was too slow to react. Within just a couple of seconds, it had already taken off and returned to the bushes, as if executing a well-practiced manoeuvre. At this point, the shrike seemed much more active and scanning its surroundings. Suddenly, it flew high above the bushes, and when it dropped back down, I noticed it had a bee in its beak - quick and precise. I decided to reposition for a better vantage point, choosing to stand near lamppost 18 along the footpath. Now my mission was to capture the bird in flight.
I stood there, camera in hand, patiently watching. After a few minutes, the bird launched itself into the air again, but I fluffed my chance, failing to track it properly and completely missing the shot. Frustrated, I quickly switched my camera into full-frame mode, hoping to increase my chance of success. Determined, I waited for another 10 minutes, scanning for any sign of movement. Then, it happened - the shrike took off once more, and this time, I was ready. I managed to snap a few shots, finally catching the bird in focus and within the frame. It was a small victory, but rewarding after the earlier miss.
I decided to wait for another chance, but the bird didn't repeat its earlier performance while I was there. One of the other birders spotted a hobby as it flew by, and shortly after, three jays flew over and landed at the top of a very tall tree. A tiding of magpies took exception to the jays' presence and chased them away, eventually driving them out of sight.
Attention then shifted back to the shrike. It vanished behind a bush to our left, only to reappear from low behind the foliage in front of us. The bird began preening, and we speculated it might have taken a dip in the stream behind the bush for a quick brush up.
While observing a red-backed shrike in Duston, Northamptonshire, in October 2022, I watched as reed buntings flitted around the shrike, only to quickly regret their proximity. The shrike swooped down and caught one of them, then proceeded to consume it right in front of us. Here a chiffchaff exhibited similar behaviour, which I found quite brave — presumably, nesting was done, and the chicks had fledged, so it didn’t need to be as aggressive. The shrike, however, remained unfazed.
People started to pack up and everyone appeared to be leaving - I thought it might be good to leave instructions on Birdguides as to the position and bushes between lampposts 18 and 19. Shame if they had to relocate it from the pin drop alone. I snapped off a couple of final photos and made for home, and lunch.
Year list: 237.
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