Found by: P. Cleave, M. Hayes, M. Morse and T. Worsfold.

Rushmead Lane, Marshfield, July 1989: © Mark Coller.

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.

There was an historical record of Woodchat Shrike in Bristol some ninety years previously but outside the present S. Gloucestershire boundary.

Martyn Hayes - July 1989.