GREAT GREY SHRIKE showing well today - Typical!

a mid morning call from Bob and Lol informed me they were watching the Great
Grey Shrike at Streatley. On my way, a Red Kite flew over the A6 at Barton.
By 11.30 I was watching the G G S with Bob and Lol, who'd kindly waited for
me and any others to arrive. We were toward the brow of the hill along the
track east of the Swedish Cottages and the A6 which track is on the left
some 400m south of the Streatley r'bout. There is a gap in this long
hedgerow approx half a mile along the track and just beyond the third large
pylon. We were 'scoping north to the next hedgerow and the G G Shrike was
very happy sitting out in the open on the south face of this hedge near a
telegraph pole.

The Shrike would move from time to time, sometimes into the hedge but always
soon re-appearing. B + L told me they'd been watching for and hour and half
by the time we departed and that Clive Harris had been watching it a similar
time prior to their arrival. The Shrike was clearly enjoying a bit of
sunshine and was sheltered from the north easterly chill wind. Several Reed
Buntings were alongside the main track, in the hedgerow or in the plantation
belt.

By 12.30 I was at Southcott Village near Linslade. Parking away from private
gateways at the end of the lane, I walked a further half mile up the main
track to the last field on the right and there was the long-staying
Ring-necked Parakeet flying around and squawking from its favoured ivy clad
tree. Plenty of Redwings were frequenting the meadows.

Stockgrove Country Park next and I was pleased to see my first Mandarins of
the year, 5 drakes and 2 females and at least 18 Grey Squirrels alongside
the main track from the road to the lake.

At Upper Drakelow Pond in Woburn Park were 3 Black Swans and a further trio
of Mandarin, two drakes clearly giving unwanted attention to a female.

Next, it was Brogborough Lake and with John Lynch also present we enjoyed
watching 4 drake and 1 female Scaup, 35+ Goldeneye and new arrivals in 2
drake Red Crested Pochards.

At half past two, I called briefly past a private site near Kempston and saw
a Jack Snipe fly up with 7 Common Snipe, also 4 Redwings, 9 Fieldfares and 1
each Mistle Thrush and Song Thrush. I was home just before 3pm for a nice
bowl of soup, a slice of cake and a snooze in my armchair! 55 species in
four hours included 3 county year ticks for me and also 3 sfyt's.

MJP