Red-backed Shrike at Pagham Harbour, Sussex

Tuesday 7th September 2021

North Wall, Pagham Harbour, Sussex

This afternoon was my first chance to go and see the Red-backed Shrike at Pagham Harbour.  The bird was actually seen first on Sunday morning when I was in Hampshire and again yesterday when I was at Cliffe with Elizabeth and Mark Young.  This morning I was at Weir Wood doing my weekly snake survey.

After lunch, reports were still coming in of its continuing presence so I finally succumbed and made the trip down to Chichester.

• A short walk out along the North Wall to the Owl Copse brought me into direct contact with the shrike, in a tree laden with berries, just 30 metres away.  It was sitting quietly in the middle of the tree, basking in the fabulous sunshine.  Every now and then it dropped to the ground and out of sight but soon returned to its normal position.  

courtdesy of Any@birderNikon

• By way of a bonus I caught up with 20+ Cattle Egrets on the return leg to the car.  I spotted them earlier but chose to walk on to find the star attraction first.  Half of the flock were associating with the cows in the field and the other half were on the opposite side of the wall along the grassy edge of one of the channels leading out to sea.
• There were at least 10 Yellow Wagtails among the cattle and the Cattle Egrets.

Another very positive afternoon's birding.