Two British/life ticks are better than one!

After missing the Grove Ferry Wilson's phalarope yesterday, I went first for the Isabelline shrike at Gosport today. The weather was dull but the bird obliged on several occasions by coming out briefly. It was very like a brown shrike; just slightly paler.

















Isabelline shrike


After that, I just had to return to Grove where the phalarope had been seen. As I arrived, the pager said it was on the water meadow so I made haste to there. AAhhh!! It had only stayed a few minutes and had flown. I decided to stay there as the habitat looked good. After an hour or so it was seen at Harrison's Drove hide, a good 15 mins walk. Off we set hoping it would stick around. Hot and out of breath I arrived and it was still there with a green sandpiper in the far corner of the lake. Yesterday, that lake had been teeming with birds. Today there were just two birds!! The reeds were just a little high to get a clear picture so I jumped onto the roof of the hide where I had clear line of sight but it was still 150-175metres distant. Thank you the couple who helped me up and down with my gear. This poor record shot is all I could get from that distance:

Wilson's
phalarope