It was one of those collective finds quite
frankly, everyone had a hand in it, but it was, as it always seems to be, not
until a
couple of days later that we realised the significance of the find. A couple of days before on the 21st July
an American Golden Plover in Norfolk was re-identified as a Pacific Golden
Plover, so plans were made to make the pilgrimage to Holme and Thornham in the
hopes of a new bird. I would eventually catch up with a PGP but not until 1992.
Apparently and fortunately for us the
Pacific Golden Plover was illusive and flighty so we decide not to go. Instead
we would search the traditional 'Quail' grounds around the Marshfield area and
see if we could pin some down. There had also been a whisper of 'Landrail', you never know with birding...
The 23rd July dawned bright and clear when
four drowsy birders assembled at the appropriate spot to listen for and possibly
see Quail with I have to say not much luck. So, no Quail, no Pacific Golden
Plover and thoughts drifting towards visiting the Severn Estuary for better
pickings.
It was when we were ambling down one of
the small lanes for the final time when a bird suddenly appeared on the top of a
stack of hay bails; what's that! someone shouts, looks like a shrike, '****' it is
too... and with that the first ever record of Woodchat Shrike for S.
Gloucestershire was in the open and in full view.
After some frantic scope erecting the
Woodchat Shrike was closely examined at fairly close range and determined to be
a worn adult female, after an hour or so we decided to find a phone and get the
information out to Birdline, lets not forget these were pre-pager days, so
hopefully, people would get the news quickly. The Woodchat Shrike continued to show well
on and off for the rest of the day but unfortunately had departed overnight and
was gone the following morning.
Martyn Hayes - July 1989.
