A survey inland kept me from getting up the cliffs first thing but the late start in this case worked out well. Just as I reached the far end of Foxhill down I flushed a brilliant male Red backed Shrike from a low perch, it flew away from me and perched up beautifully.
In an attempt to get around the strong light I lost it but saw it disappear around a few bushes over the next 30 mins. Some locals arrived and we relocated it in the same spot I’d found it in originally, it showed well on and off all morning, catching bees, coughing up pellets, It even sang, mimicking reed warbler, woodlark and swallows.
Whilst watching it with Paul Holt, Phil Smith and Jack Chantler, Paul picked up a falcon coming towards us low, we all managed to get on it and call it simultaneously, a 2cy female Red footed Falcon! , a rush of excitement as it flew NE towards the old airstrip and out of sight.
More to come from these brilliant little raptors I should think.
Other birds during the morning were 2 Swift, c30 House Martins and c50 Swallows, I didnt get further than Foxhill down!
PERDIX BIRDER 