Brown Shrike Blunder

The week ended with a real downer for many birders, and embarrassing elation for others.

A “Red-backed” Shrike present on Bryher in late September for several days was now been reidentified from photos as a Brown Shrike, the first for England and only the fifth for Europe! More at home in Bangladesh than Bryher this bird would have brought hundreds of eager twitchers to the islands if it had been identified correctly at the time.

Following this, no less than three Red-backed Shrikes where found in the Old Town area (photo above, of bird at Ennor Close on Saturday afternoon).

A Buff-breasted Sandpiper on the Airport and a new Pectoral Sandpiper on Tresco kept a Nearctic feel to events, but a Yellow breasted Bunting on St Agnes and a Little Bunting at Porth Hellick brought a flavour of the east.

With gales pummelling the Islands birders are hopeful that another “mega” will fall, this time not slipping through the net!