Eastleach, Gloucestershire 20/07/26

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A Long-tailed Shrike, recently present in Scotland, was last seen on 8th July after a short stay. I had hoped it would come further south though there had been no news in the following days. However, that all changed yesterday when it, or a different bird, was found in Eastleach, Gloucestershire. I couldn't get away then but this morning set off after confirmation that the bird was still present.

The journey took longer than expected mainly due to the usual problems on the M25, and we didn't get there until mid-morning. However, the shrike was seen shortly after arrival, present in a hedgerow bordering a recently cut hay field. It was then watched on and off for the next two hours, though could be distant for much of the time. 

It was another warm and sunny day, with barely a cloud in the sky. Nice though this was, the conditions caused a problem for photography due to heat haze with a subject never very close. Nevertheless, there were a lot of happy birders there, and we left at 1 pm, very pleased to have seen the shrike.









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