ML645406325

Observation details

1st-w viewed with John Richardson, Jon Evans and Peter Norfolk from 13.10 until 13.50 feeding from brambles just next to the pine trees about 100m south and east of the old railway track crossing. Some excellent views both in sunlight and light cloud sometimes as close as 10m away. ( Observers were hidden under the pines). I first spotted the bird in flight as it went briefly up into the pine tree after catching a bee with the longish tail showing chestnut-red above and below in the sunlight. Overall impression was of a pale, small shrike ( size and build of a RB Shrike) with a chestnut tail and rather weak head markings. In neutral light, upperparts were pale sandy -brown with slightly darker wings,dark primary tips and warmer brown crown. In bright sunlight the bird looked more pale grey with very pale underparts. The bird then flew north to a bramble bush in the field just NE of the crossroads, from which it was feeding and was viwed 14.00 to 14.20 at a distance of 100m. in a neutral light, that reinforced the pale sandy brown colouration on the upperparts. Plumage: Nape, mantle, scapulars, back - pale sandy-brown; crown - slightly warmer brown; dark eye, sometimes showing a pale fringe; slightly darker brown, but weak mask behind the eye, pale lores and no noiceable supercilium. Bill pinkishwith a darker tip to upper and lower mandible- similar structure to R-BShrike. ( not hefty like Brown Shrike) Buff -fringed coverts and tertials looked a similar colour to the mantle side-on, but looked darker when bird was viewed from behind. Inner primaries, plain brownish, primary tips dark, with buff fringes. Tail reddish-brown above and below, prominent when the bird was in flight. legs dark grey. Underparts buffish-white, with a more peachy tone to the sides the breast and flanks which had faint coriander powder brown cresentic markings.