Shrike!
Spring finally seems to be with us but there are still a few reminders of the easterly winds that plagued us in March and April. This Shrike was spotted on the birdfeeder in Prince Rupert Garden at the weekend. A rare visitor, blown across from eastern Europe, it is not good news for the small mammals and birds in the area. Known as the "butcher bird", it hunts by skewering its prey with its beak and then hanging the body in a "larder" in a thorn bush.
On a more pleasant note, some birdwatching was done in the Moat Cottage garden on the same day and 14 species of birds were counted in a 20 minute session. Hopefully none later ended up in the shrike's larder.
Photo by Julia James