a day at Rimac

my coastal birding destination of choice for so many years but now somewhat overgrown and difficult to bird so it was more of a gentle amble than a hard slog - yesterday

a late Red-backed Shrike in Lincolnshire

we did 10 miles on the Lincs coast yesterday and found a total of no scarce birds just a handful of Woodcocks and three Chiffchaffs so resorted to taking in the juvenile Red-backed Shrike at Sea View Farm -- a nice bird and notably late for this species -- it was catching flying insects in the air as well as insects on the ground and this ejected pellet looks to have plenty of beetle cases in it -- when it coughed it up bits flew in all directions

Red-backed Shrikes

cracking birds -- seems a long time since I watched a nest in Suffolk in 1971!

juvenile Red-backed Shrike

had to have a look at the Cleethorpes shrike this morning before it got too busy with locals -- lovely bird set off really photo wise by the fireweed -- often accompanied by mobbing warblers in fact while the coast seemed totally dead there were 2 Whinchats, Lesser and Common Whitethroats, Reed Warbler and 2 Willow Warblers just in this little bird of scrub

Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike

our high point of another long Lincs coastal thrash on Monday in the heat -- here it flew down and caught a grasshopper but obviously felt a little full so it moved the prey to its foot while it coughed up a pellet and then returned the hopper to its bill and ate it

Red-backed Shrike

a nice male at Bonby Carrs last night -- thanks Tom -- been looking for one all spring but still failed!