Hi Ashley,
"As for GG shrike, the damn things keep hiding there are 2 a short distance away from the town I live in, 1 in either direction, I have tried to see 1 of them (Potsgrove,Beds) 7 times now and it still evades me this year ad that to the bird I didn't see in Scotland and the bird I haven't seen at Stewartby (beds) and I really like great grey shrike!!"
I sympathise with you,but try putting yourself in the shoes of about 95% of Irish birders.The species is a mega here,and doesn't usually hang around either:the top lister here needs it!
There was one in west Cork in autumn 1991(seen by the finder only)and then one on Sunday 9th Feb this year(but again,only seen by the finder for 5-10 mins).Some year we'll HAVE to get one that stays around for a while,but how long more must we wait?
Have seen 4 sp.of shrike here(in spite of the fact that all of them are rarities):Red-backed(x2),Woodchat(x2,incl.1 of the Balearic race badius,which would be a first for Ireland.Had been ID'd as a Woodchat,but some friends and I saw that it was prob.badius.Wrote an article in Birding World on it...!;-)),Isabelline(prob.nominate isabellinus,"Daurian Shrike")and Brown Shrike(prob.cristatus x lucionensis?).The latter two were Irish firsts,and I went for the Isabelline before Red-backed had been conclusively ruled out(but then,I DID still need Red-backed at the time....)
Wish we had at least 1 regular species of shrike,they're great birds.Have seen Red-backed and Woodchat impaling food items on thorns/branches over here,btw.
Harry