Quantock Hills Blog
What a finish!
- Andy and Boyd have been spotting the elusive Shrike
Posted by Andy Harris on 17 October 2011
FC Wildlife Ranger Boyd Hay and I led a walk to view the Red Deer Rut on Sunday. We met at 6am and although it was overcast we had good views across the hills as it became light.
The rut seems to have been a little slow in getting going but may be the past couple of chilly nights have spurred them into action as no sooner had we set off we began to hear the male deer roaring.There were about 14 of us on the walk, other than Boyd and I none of those who were attending had ever heard a stag rutting in the wild, so it was great to share in the experience. We were able to show them several stags with their groups of hinds as dawn broke.
However it was on our return when we were within sight of the cars we had a really good find. Sitting proudly on a Hawthorn was a Great Grey Shrike. This is my first for the hills and I have lived here all my life, but Boyd’s second within the same week! The Shrike is a scarce winter visitor, that breeds in Northern Europe. The photo is a bit fuzzy as it was taken with a compact camera held up to my scope as the Shrike surveyed the heath from a holly bush.
There is another, rather sinister sounding name that Shrikes are sometimes given. Anyone know what it is?
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Quantock AONB Service
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Somerset Wildlife Trust
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