Woodchat Shrike: Chipping Sodbury, Gloucester

Having dipped at least four Woodchat Shrikes in the last few years, two of which were in my home county, I was very keen to try for the Gloucestershire bird. First reported on the 30th August it was still present yesterday evening. 

The forecast for today was not good, with light rain in the morning and heavy rainfall for the whole afternoon. Nonetheless, we set off shortly after 5am and arrived around 7am. The rain had already started to fall as we set off across the common in search of the Shrike. Luckily the original finder was just heading off on his morning circuit of the site and gave us some good pointers as to where to begin searching. 

The rain became heavier and it wasn't looking good, but sightings of several Whinchats and Redstarts were very welcome. With the Whinchat needed for a year tick. 

Shortly after 8am, the rain eased and with a break in the clouds, the Shrike suddenly appeared at the top of a small bush!

It's not a good feeling dipping a bird, but thankfully we haven't experienced that feeling very often. Woodchat Shrike though has proved an exception for me, today I've finally managed to see one!

I would have been happy to go straight back home after seeing it, but being close to Slimbridge and never visited before to seemed rude not to visit.
We started off by visiting the hides that looked out across scrapes and grassland, finding truly wild birds like Green and Wood Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwits, Grey Wagtails, and Common Crane.

Sir Peter Scott

We then spent the remainder of our visit walking around the captive bird pens. Although captive they do give you a great chance to get up close to birds normally seen at a much greater distance. Slimbridge has a huge collection of birds, allowing close views of ducks such as Canvasback, Cinnamon Teal, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Wood Duck, Lesser Scaup, Barrow's Goldeneye, Bufflehead and Hooded Merganser. Several species of Geese were also on show including Red-breasted, Bar-headed, Bean, and Pink-footed. Several species of Flamingo were also among the collection of the wetland centre.

We found it a very enjoyable place to visit, just a shame we went on a day that it rained the entire time spent there. Hopefully, we can pay it a return visit in more pleasant weather conditions.