Essex Woodchat Shrike.

 After Frampton on Sunday, I wake early on Monday morning & set off with the boys to Rochford in my home county of Essex it's only just over 35 miles.

With it being a bank holiday we arrive in great time & park down the bottom of Mill Lane.

Now it's only a short walk across a crop field before we meet up with a small group of maybe 20other birders. We spot the target bird as we near the group sitting out in the open among the blossom. 

A cracking-looking bird and only the second one I've seen, the other one was seen in 2017 in Chipping Sodbury, a juvenile but this one was a stunning adult.

Over an hour spent watching this beautiful Shrike along with some local birders, a lot of familiar faces came and went while we were there, it's always nice to meet up with them.

With Wallasea RSPB only 5 miles away and on our way home, we look in for a very quick visit in the hope of ticking Corn Bunting.   That is achieved as we enter the reserve on almost the first bush for another year tick.

                            

The Woodchat Shrike

Wallasea Cornbunting

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