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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ilya Maclean" data-source="post: 1599960" data-attributes="member: 46774">A few thoughts on the bird's ID:For it to be a red-backed, it would have to be an adult female. As far as I'm aware, it would be highly unusual for a female RB Shrike of any form to have such dark ear-coverts, even pallidifrons and kobylini generally have a distinct rufous-brown tinge to the ear-coverts (and grey napes). However, as the 2008 Scilly bird showed (see <a href="http://www.surfbirds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4235" target="_blank">here</a>), not entirely impossible. That said, I'm yet to see an example of an adult female Red-backed Shrike in which the pale lores do not extend round to form a pale area above the bill. On our bird, the pale lores did not extend right round.  Would be most interested if anybody could point me to any adult RB Shrikes that don't show a pale area above the bill. Was the Scillies 2008 bird (presumably and adult RB Shrike) an exception? If this is a diagnostic feature, or the Scillies bird did show a pale lower forehead, than I think RB Shrike can be eliminated.The lack of a rufous tail and contrast with mantle would eliminate most Isabelline (regardless of form) as far as I'm aware. However, according to the <a href="http://www.birdskorea.org/Birds/Identification/ID_Notes/BK-ID-Brown-Shrike.shtml" target="_blank">Birds Korea</a> site, Svensson (1992) notes that some females of subspecies isabellinus sometimes have rather dull dark brown tails with practically no rufous tinge at all. However in 2000, the form previously known as isabellinus, was re-named arenarius and I’m not sure which race is being referred to. Presumably the Birds Korea site accounted for this change and is indeed referring to the current isabellinus. This would conform with my internet searches for pictures of Isabelline's without rufous tails. I've only found one so far: <a href="http://www.birdingworld.co.uk/images/DaurianScreen900W.jpg" target="_blank">this bird</a>, a first winter isabellinus at Cley in Norfolk. It would go against what others have said about it being a phoenicuroides. Another feature that supports Brown IMO, is supercilium on our bird. I'm yet to see a photo in which the supercilium on a 1st winter of any race of Isabelline is as clear-cut (and broad behind the eye) as on our bird, although some adult females do have a more prominent supercillium suggesting it may be a bit variable. I would be most interested if anybody could point me to examples of young Isabelline's with such prominent superciliums.On balance, for these reasons, I think it's a Brown Shrike, also because the primary projection seems too short for me (I've done lots of side-by side comparisons with photos). However, I don't think we can fully eliminate a highly unusual "eastern" form of RB Shrike (like the Scillies bird last year) and likewise, it wouldn't surprise me if the supercilium did turn out to be a rather variable feature. I don't think the bird can be clinched with 100% certainty until we have better photos of the primaries.Edit: I've just been informed that Svensson was referring to arenarius. Would anybody care to comment on the appearance of the Cley bird (did anyone here see it?) or point me to any other photos of Isabelline without rufous tails. The Cley bird looks very grey making me wonder if the light settings on the camera were wonky.</blockquote>

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