Finders in the Field: Turkestan Shrike Bempton, East Yorkshire
Bempton Cliffs RSPB Reserve is famous for its nationally and internationally breeding seabirds and is home to England’s largest seabird colony. The RSPB have managed the site since 1969.
Opportunities arose in 1990 to enhance habitats and visitor facilities. Extra land was purchased and a Stewardship Scheme was entered. Through this, it became the reserve it is today. Particularly through extensive tree and shrub planting, field, hedgerow and pond management.
All of this played an important part in diversification and provided special habitats for a wider range of breeding, wintering and migratory birds. As a result other animal and plant groups have flourished.
From a birders point of view, this relatively small reserve (under 40ha), has produced some amazing migrants. Far too many to name here, but here I focus on the most recent, on my local patch, that is Britain’s eighth Turkestan Shrike (aka Red-tailed Shrike).
On Monday 27th of June, I arrived early morning in anticipation of a Ventusky forecasted wet weather front, to arrive from the west early afternoon. The weather in the morning was a south-westerly f2-4, warm and sunny periods.
In actuality, drizzle arrived on time and gradually became torrential rain at 13.30 lasting around 20 minutes. It stopped suddenly and the sun shone as temperatures rose.
Given the time of year, my expectations were low. I hoped the front would bring a passage of Common Swifts, it didn’t happen. Rather than continuing circuits of scrub areas, I decided to walk the clifftop towards Staple Newk. I guess many of you will now know this viewpoint! I knew the Black-browed Albatross was present on the cliff but out of sight.
The viewpoint was 100m ahead of me when I paused to check the Rare Bird Alert birdnews app on my phone. As I did, I noticed movement, a bird landing on the plain wire fence about 20m away at 14.48. I calmly raised my bins to check it out, then swifty threw my phone and reading glasses to the ground. Shouted just three words! (no visitors within hearing range thankfully).
I was staring at a damp, wet spikey headed adult looking Asian shrike! I guess it had just arrived probably on the back of heavy rain earlier. Several record photos were taken in stark sunlight. The three likeliest candidates rushed through my mind, Brown, Turkestan and Daurian. Excluded Brown quickly as this bird was of slighter build, lacked deep overall rufous tones, shorter tailed and had an obvious white notch to basal outer-primaries. The overall colour tone to my bird actually did show some rufous, richer and darker, lacking any sandy or pallid tones than I would expect from any Daurian in this plumage and aged bird at this time of year. Base colour to the head appeared gingery, prominent white supercillium behind the eye, thinner in front but wetness hid the white running over the bill. Very white throat contrasting with slightly greyer underparts and a nice peachy tinge to flanks stopping at breast sides. My gut feeling was Turkestan.
It flew towards me, landed on the path just metres away then quickly flew into tall rank grass where it moved away more distantly, perching on Hogweed umbels before disappearing into a hidden hollow. The rufous tail in flight spread showed darkening towards the tip, and spread wing showed a prominent white bar on basal outermost primaries. More photos were taken. I ran to relocate but failed. I was joined by two visitors (Cathy & James Clements) who both had cameras. I guessed it hadn’t have gone far, the next field margin was just metres away with a nice long fence. On entering the field margin on the public footpath, I quickly scanned the fence and there it was, low down in rank grass at the base of the fence. More record photos taken. It soon flew further into the field perching on Docks twice before quickly disappearing at 15.08. We lost the bird. Exactly 20 minutes after first seeing it. Throughout this time I made sure the news got out fast by calls and messages.
Soon afterwards birders started to arrive. Up to 20 birders helped to relocate the bird but failed. We left at 21.00. I was very disappointed no one else connected with the Shrike. Guessed we would likely fail to re-find it the next day.
The following morning Tuesday 28th, I checked likeliest habitats nearer the centre of the reserve while one other guy, Alan Whitehead, checked an area to the south-east. We both failed. Three of us later decided to search elsewhere slightly inland. One favoured area was Blakey Lane half a mile to the south. After a thorough search by Frank Moffatt and Ian & Karen Howard, Ian refound the bird at 14.10.
I was elated, so pleased the opportunity was here for potentially all to see!
Because the bird relocated a short distance away again at Wandale Farm, it gave everyone a chance to see the bird often quite closely. The Coultas farming family rallied around to kindly allow access. Donations were gratefully received and my farmer friends Mike and John Coultas told me money will be donated to an Alzheimer’s charity and Bempton Primary School.
Thanks to the birders who came and donated, and for those absolutely brilliant photographs and videos!
Thanks also to the RSPB at Bempton Cliffs for kindly hosting the car parking.
Trevor Charlton
12 Jul 2022
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