Hothfield Heathlands, end March 2023

The Great Grey Shrike returned to the main bog at Hothfield, so I went looking for it, for a second time and was successful! 

It was hunting for ground-based insects exactly in the middle of the bog. Going down for insects and then returning to perch about 2m off the ground.  It was always distant from the path but still gave good views. A local birder offered the hope that it will stay all summer. Apparently there used to be a resident population of GGS’s at Hothfield in the 1980’s.

  
 

Also present in the Oaks were a pair of Jay’s. 


And a Yellow Hammer was showing well in the small trees on the outskirts of the bog.


 

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