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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 1727129" data-attributes="member: 12449">With flocks of Shore Lark occurring across the country, the unprecedented influx bringing reports of birds almost daily, I decided to take a most circular route to my Labanoras land on this day. Under blue skies and a chill of minus ten, stop one was Elektrenai. Favouring its usual roost, still the Pygmy Cormorant remained in residence, approaching its seventh week. So too Kingfishers, a pair flashing blue down the channel, and gracing the ice beyond two White-tailed Eagles. Leaving the site, a Great Cormorant also flying over, the next destination was the country roads of Kedainiai district, the area favoured by many of the Shore Larks. Snow-caked tracks, glistening in the sun, a few Common Ravens sauntered past, the first Red Fox of the day appeared in a field, sunbathing on the snow. Massive flocks of Yellowhammer here and there, a report of Shore Larks filtered through, right on my intended route. An hour ahead, a Great Grey Shrike off to the right, three Red Foxes in a field together, I slowed to view, then overhead they swirled, a flock of Shore Larks. Most flighty, briefly they would touch down, feeding on the road's edge, only to rise again and spiral off, landing nearer or further.  Much as I would have enjoyed to stay in the area longer, my land was calling - my last chance to top up the feeders before an imminent trip out of Lithuania. 25 kg of food in tow, the deep snow unfortunately left my feeding station near two kilometres from the nearest car access. A long deep trudge followed, the food on a toboggan, me up to my knees. Regardless of the sub-zero, I arrived absolutely boiling!Tracks of animals zigzagging everywhere, Brown Hare, Roe Deer and Red Fox, tellingly no Beaver, his run now snowed over and deserted. Sleeping in his underground lodge or finally predated?  Onward, slumped on the veranda of my cabin, a winter wonderland in front of me. Much action in the forest this day, swarms of Great Tits on the feeders, ever increasing numbers of Blue Tits too, plus an excellent showing of woodpeckers - all the expected Great and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers on and off the peanuts, the regular Black Woodpecker smashing away at rotting alders, plus the two stars - females both, a single Grey-headed Woodpecker and a White-backed Woodpecker, the feeders proving most attractive.Highlight of the day however, was a Great Grey Shrike - not out in the meadows as usual, but inside the forest and hunting at the feeders. Mesmorizing, like a giant butterfly floating round the stick piles, trying to drive out lurking Great Tits. From the comfort of the cabin, metres in front, the action played out, up he would swoop, out popped the birds, back down he would come. Fifteen minutes, the game went on, no success, back to the meadow he went. Me too, a slog back through the snow, a quick shove to free the car, homeward bound I went - not a bad day, Pygmy Cormorant, Shore Lark, White-backed Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker and hunting Great Grey Shrike.Photograph: part of my land, the Beaver pool in the foreground.</blockquote>

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