Long Tailed Shrike

2nd september 2026. We were going up to Dursley to visit Joyce's sister, so I thought a further hour on would'nt hurt to see the Long Tailed Shrike which had been around for a while. That hour was closer to an hour and a half but eventually we arrived at the site at Eastleach Martin. On previous weeks it would have been easy to find the bird when hundreds of people had visited, but now no one was about and I had to ask a local chap if he knew where to go to find the Shrike, as it happened we were in the right place and he pointed to the track oppisite where we had parked and it was just a short walk to see it. There was only six people watching the bird in the hedgerow as it preened and occasionally dropped down to catch an insect. Very close views were had of this very rare bird to the U.K, this being only the third record. A long drive back but worth it in the end.

A hot summer.

Some of the innsects I have photographed around our garden and field during the long hot summer. Lots of Butteflies with high numbers of Painted Lady and more Clouded Yellows than I've ever seen before.

Brownsea Island

Back in June took a trip with friends up to Brownsea Island in Dorset , mainly to photograph Terns. Numbers were down on previous trips and the Sandwich Terns were not as close to the hide but still good to see alongside the many Black Headed Gulls. One thing I'd not seen before was when a Canada Goose decided to wander through the Common Tern colony, it was not at all made welcome with at one stage a Tern was actually on the back of the goose.!

Nesting Wren

I had a pair of Wrens nesting low down in a tree in our front garden, a Foxglove made a nice perch for the adults before taking food to the young. I set up a camo screen and spent a few afternoons photographing them come and go.

Jackdaw cooling off.

The recent very hot weather saw a few birds coming to the pond for a drink and a bathe, the characterful Jackdaws were there most of the time.

Trevose Head

A nice day out with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust photo group on the beautiful Trevose Head on the North Cornish coast, one of my favourite places to go. The weather was kind and we saw some good species including Whimbrel, Skylarks,nesting Guillemots ans Sand Martins, a Grey Seal in the surf and interesting sand dune plants including Sea Holly and Sae Bindweed.