Red-backed Shrikes / Neuntoeter / Lanius collurio
The other two. Hard to say if that is mom with the chick or the other sibbling. A distinctly barred back indicates a fledged bird of the same year, but frontally they moult soon to resemble their mothers strongly. / Die anderen zwei. Schwer zu sagen ob das die Mama mit dem Kuecken ist oder Geschwister. Ein gesperberter Ruecken weist immer klar auf ein flugfaehiges Jungtier, aber frontal beginnen sie bald die Bauchmuster zu verlieren und wie die Mutter auszusehen. |
|
7 comments so far...
Perhaps they understood their cousins up north had been a bit naughty to show less great during a guided birdwatching tour a few weeks earlier so most of my bird photos during that where not exactly the burner, actually I had no pic of a shrike worth to document the encounter in spite of multiple sightings at each of the 3 days. Who has only a middle distance zoom lens, needs to make most of very lucky opportunities.
When I am on my own I get much more good looks 8^)
That said, I remember shrikes as being difficult, best to look for spiked insects and wait.
It was an area that I knew very well, so it was nice to share what I knew.
I didn't take a camera because I know twitchers generally do not care for photographers.
I did (kind of) make a friend or two, and I learned a few things.
So yes, I kind of enjoyed it - but not so sure I would do it again.