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.