Interesting Great Grey Shrike - Kent UK (1 Viewer)

[Jane Turner]

A couple of days ago, this photo of a Great Grey Shrike came through my twitter feed.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EIuFMCJW4AAGlg0?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

It looked pale and the primary patch looked deep. Out of curiosity, I asked if there was a photo of the open wing, to see if the patch was also short.


I didn't know where the bird was, or even who the photographer was and failed to locate it again. about 10 hours later I was sent this

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EIzgQuMW4AAscww?format=jpg&name=large


Which certainly confirmed that there was no white on the secondaries. (I've noticed that GGS with a lot of white in the primaries usually also have it on the secondary bases)

So after asking a few questions, I found out its the bird currently in Kent. There are some excellent photos of it and its an interesting bird.

eg.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EIstJwEXUAAPmH0?format=jpg&name=large
https://www.birdguides.com/gallery/birds/lanius-excubitor/1020924/


Contra Steppe GS

• Seen to have light barring to the underparts in the field which rules out SGS
• Lores not that pale
• Bill not overly heavy
• Its not as pale as it appeared on that 1st photo

More Steppe-like

• Fully white outer tail feather
• No white on the secondaries, combined with a deep primary patch
• Quite a lot of grey in the flight feathers
• P2/9 - ie 2nd out ermost appears to be quite long - 4/5 not 6/7

Primary projection sort of intermediate. Any thoughts - Eastern bird?

 

[Jane Turner]

There is of course a lot of variation in GGS

This is a typical bird - shorter 2nd outermost primary, white into the secondaries
www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/RealData/gallery_show.asp?galleryid=45726
as is this
https://www.flickr.com/photos/redmani49/38496311582

This one has no white on the secondaries, but the pp patch is narrow and p2 is short
https://www.alamy.com/great-grey-shrike-bavaria-germany-lanius-excubitor-image226433694.html


then this bird is very like hte Kent bird

http://2birdtheory.blogspot.com/2013/11/a-great-grey-shrike.html