Red-backed Shrike!

 Spotted Redshank

My first stop this morning was at the ARC which was a mistake, as had I gone to the fishing boats as normal I would have been present when a Sabine's Gull flew past. From Hanson a Spotted Redshank was on view along with 5 Garganey, a Common Sandpiper and the Pectoral Sandpiper which was on the old Cormorant Island about as far away from the hide as it could be, also all the usual wildfowl and Lapwing. 

 Wheatear

I had an uneventful walk around The Desert with Jamie from Hythe seeing just a few Whinchats, Wheatears, Stonechats, Common Whitethroats and a few Swallows over. 

On my way back home I got a call from LG telling me he'd found a juvenile Red-backed Shrike just a few hundred yards north of The Desert, a few minutes later I was watching the bird which was very flighty not allowing close approach. We later realised the bird was bearing a ring which probably explained its reluctance to allow approach. 

  Red-backed Shrike

 Red-backed Shrike showing ring

  Red-backed Shrike

Red-backed Shrike with a Bee 

 This afternoon I had another walk around The Desert seeing much the same as this morning, I then decided to have another look at the Shrike. It was still very wary, so I sat down by a bush hoping it would come to me, after about half an hour with no success, a young Fox came trotting around the bush getting a big surprise when it a last spotted me as more or less stepped over my outstretched legs. The Shrike never really gave itself up.

 Black-necked Grebe

Late afternoon back at Hanson a Black-necked Grebe, also 3 Little Stints, a Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpipers, 5 Garganey still, Water rails in front the hide and the usual birds.

 Black-necked Grebe with 4 Garganey in the background