I viewed from 100-150m as I said so can't really contribute. I followed what RBA had put out on their message at the time I posted! Those who have had it down to a few metres should have an idea, I'll leave it to those to discuss!!
I managed to get to the Woodchat Shrike yesterday teatime with Chris Chandler, certainly showed well from the pylon as John said, and briefly in a hawthorn on the canal bank, so around 10m away. UK Lifer, my first for months.
I am intrigued by the suggestion it is a male. I am not normally keen to tangle opinions on this kind of thing, but I thought that the fairly sandy shade of brown on the cap and the somewhat grey tone to the mask, and the extent of it, pointed more to a female, just going off pictures in Collins really. I have seen obvious males in Portugal that were richer brown and deeper black and females with similarly lighter brown caps. I believe there is some variation between the sexes and it is just an impression. i did wonder with the timing if a male would have weathered and faded a bit but my previous sightings were July and August so I'm not sure.
Just a thought really, interested in other views, especially some of the posters here will have seen a lot of these birds over the piece
This seems quite a good article for diferentiating between sexes , I think its nearer a Male than female , it does Have a contrasting ash colour on Rump area, if this article is correct , books seem a bit Vague on the matter as a whole and seemingly they do vary a lot . Check this out http://blascozumeta.com/specie_files/15230_Lanius_senator_E.pdf
Woodchat Shrike. Nice. Lifer. Closest to home of the last two decades ever lifer (just beats the Woolston 2022 Penduline Tit).
Despite being less than a couple miles from home this area actually looks like it could be quite interesting - think in 20yrs I've walked the canal once and been to the actually Daresbury Firs (~300yrds away to NE of the Shrike location) just twice.
It’s long being held between a few of us at Moore that the "line" through Fiddlers Ferry / Round Cherval and Halfway House and Oxmoor LNR is a migration route. Extending that to the South certainly brings in the area the Woody was in today. Which seems to help prove the theory (I'm convinced that the Pink footed geese that come down from Lancashire then over Moore NR towards Cheshire use the stack at Fiddlers for guidance as they always turn over it outwards in the morn or home in the eve).
Certainly going to add the area to my patching rota, does look like it is a early morning patch with dog walkers and lunchtime office workers out later in the day.
Two Reed Buntings, one Lesser Whitethroat and seven Swifts also during a brief half-hour lunchtime "twitch".
Talking to a local walking back to my car it's known as Wharford Valley...............and is to be surrounded and subsumed by planned housing estates to be built to the 2030s .
I managed to get to the Woodchat Shrike yesterday teatime with Chris Chandler, certainly showed well from the pylon as John said, and briefly in a hawthorn on the canal bank, so around 10m away. UK Lifer, my first for months.
I am intrigued by the suggestion it is a male. I am not normally keen to tangle opinions on this kind of thing, but I thought that the fairly sandy shade of brown on the cap and the somewhat grey tone to the mask, and the extent of it, pointed more to a female, just going off pictures in Collins really. I have seen obvious males in Portugal that were richer brown and deeper black and females with similarly lighter brown caps. I believe there is some variation between the sexes and it is just an impression. i did wonder with the timing if a male would have weathered and faded a bit but my previous sightings were July and August so I'm not sure.
Just a thought really, interested in other views, especially some of the posters here will have seen a lot of these birds over the piece
Saw the Woodchat Shrike at around 6.30pm today, atop a bush next to the electricity pylon mentioned below. In fact, it was the first pylon on the opposite (left) bank of the canal if following Docs directions, also below. Our Cheshire Birds and Wildlife WhatsApp group has unfortunately reported that, as at 8.18pm, the bird had flown out of sight, so unsure as yet as to if it has been refound.
Whilst walking along the canal, I was thinking that the adjacent crop field looked good for Quail and, sure enough, one was reported calling after I had left.
Woodchat Shrike showing well on opposite side of canal than towpath on a electric pylon base , and it fed from there in the main for 2 hours until I left at 2pm . Not a bad bird 4 mile from my front door . Picture on my Flickr site.
At Daresbury, along the Bridgewater Canal accessed from a bridge on Delph Lane at SJ572826 and heading SW there is today a stunning male Woodchat Shrike. Found by a survey worker covering this area the bird showed closely from the canal towpath initially but was flushed by a cyclist and went missing..... which is when I turned up!! After around 45mins it was relocated a fair distance further along and down by the railway. A track WNW by a field allowed views down to 100-150m, the bird showing really well in the sunshine and feeding actively. A record digiscoped shot is attached. Apparently some time after I left the bird returned to show much closer along the towpath! Typical. Well twitched by a small gathering whilst I was there, up to 40 folk or so I'd reckon!
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Wednesday 4th of June 2025 03:03:19 PM
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