Rare 'butcher bird' spotted at Surrey Wildlife Trust reserve in Camberley

13:33, 12 MAR 2016

UPDATED 13:34, 12 MAR 2016

BY FERGUS MCEWAN

The Great Grey Shrike, a bird of prey that stores its kills, will have twitchers flocking to Poors Allotment

A Great Grey Shrike, a rare and elusive bird of prey which winters in the UK in small numbers, has been spotted at Surrey Wildlife Trust's Poors Allotment nature reserve near Camberley

A rare bird of prey has been spotted hunting in a Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) nature reserve near Camberley .

The Great Grey Shrike was identified at Poors Allotment by eagle-eyed SWT officer James Herd, who said it was his first sighting of the bird during his seven years working in heathland management.

“It’s an incredibly rare bird and it’s very difficult to get a glimpse, so I was really lucky to witness it,” he said.

Rare natural sightings in Surrey

Not much bigger than a blackbird, the Great Grey Shrike hunts small mammals, lizards and beetles and will even kill other birds as big as greenfinches. It then stores its catch in a bush or tree, to devour later.

“It’s known as the butcher bird, because it has this unusual behaviour of keeping its prey in a makeshift larder,” said Mr Herd “Sometimes, it even impales mammals or birds on a thorn for safekeeping.”

Only 200 Great Grey Shrikes visit the UK every year between October and May, travelling from Europe, Asia and north Africa.

'Vital habitat'

Mr Herd explained that Poors Allotment offers the perfect habitat for the species, a relatively quiet heathland with a good food source and plenty of high perches so the bird can look out for prey.

Historically, this species has also been known to visit the trust’s reserves at Chobham Common and Ash Ranges, he said.

“SWT works hard to preserve this type of heathland habitat, which is vital for these birds,” he added. “If we lost these habitats, the shrike would have nowhere to live in winter.”

The few Great Grey Shrikes wintering in the UK will soon migrate back to their breeding grounds in Scandinavia.

In the meantime, however, birdwatchers may be lucky enough to see one perched on a fence post or high in a tree on heathland, farmland or in scrub.

SWT has appealed for anyone who spots or photographs this rare bird to record the sighting at www.surreywildlifetrust.org/SBIC

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Swooping butcher bird targets pensioner with walking frame

FOR the past month, pensioner Dodie Allen has been a prisoner in her small one-bedroom Silkstone unit.

She has been too afraid to venture outside knowing if she does she will immediately come under attack.

The villain in her life is an aggressive butcher bird that swoops and claws at her head.

Having to use a walker means she can't even lift her hands to try and fend off the dive-bombing bird she says targets her daily.

"I get sick in the stomach because I know it's coming after me," she said.

"You're like a prisoner, you feel like you can't go out anywhere."

Close to tears, Mrs Allen described the terror she felt due to the daily attacks.

"This happens every year but this year has been the worst ever," she said.

"Once it hit me so badly in the head I thought it was cracked open, I was terrified.

"I've tried wearing a hat, sunglasses and even taking an umbrella but it still gets me."

Mrs Allen lives in a public housing complex and said the bird left others alone while just targeting her.

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Butcher bird pays a visit to Pontefract

A Red-backed shrike drew twitchers to Pontefract Park on Sunday.

The bird, which normally favours continental climes, took a shine to the hawthorns in the north west corner of the park.

Shrikes have the gruesome nickname of butcher bird due to their habit of impaling their prey, insects or small birds, on thorns to make up a larder of food.

http://www.pontefractandcastlefordexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/butcher-bird-pays-a-visit-to-pontefract-1-6642758

RARE BIRD OF PREY NESTS IN COUNTY FOR FIRST TIME

THE sight of wrens, voles and lizards impaled on a barbed wire fence has delighted South Tyne naturalists.

For the gory spectacle indicated that one of Europe’s most unusual birds of prey was nesting in the area for the first time.

The barbed wire gibbet was the work of the red-backed shrike, known as the butcher bird through its habit of hanging its dead prey on thorns or other spiky protuberances.

A male bird – slightly smaller than a blackbird – was seen displaying in the Coanwood area in mid-June.

It found a mate, and the pair produced four offspring which left the nest earlier this month.

Parents and fledglings can still be seen hunting in the area.

Although red backed shrikes have been known to breed in Southern England for some time, it is believed to be the first time they have nested in Northumberland.

It follows the successful nesting of a great grey shrike on Alston Moor four years ago.

Local naturalist Colin Simms said: “Red backed shrikes used to breed in Carlisle and Kendal many years ago, but I firmly believe this is the first time they have bred in Northumberland in modern times.

Continued