'ISABELLINE SHRIKE PENDEEN WATCH IN GORSE 300yds SW OF LIGHTHOUSE' was the pager message last night. Too many commitments again in the morning to see that thinks I but I must make the effort seeing as its an adult male of the 'Daurian' variety and only the fourth record for Cornwall. So I dropped the eldest at Brownies and headed off with the other two to Pendeen. As I parked the car I could see Mark Haliday taking photographs of 'something' shortly before a Wryneck flew up from the gorse in front of him. Sure enough, just SW of the lighthouse the Shrike showed superbly, catching, slaughtering and consuming an unfortunate grasshopper in front of the small assembled crowd. Stunning bird! I managed a few record shots before a short walk down the valley which produced three Wrynecks, a Yellow Wagtail, Blackcap and at least four Whinchats. All in all, well worth making the trip and another Cornwall tick to boot!!
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There are three previous records of Isabelline Shrike in Cornwall:
- Zennor on October 27th-31st 1989
- Porthgwarra on 26th June 2002.
- Nanquidno on Oct 25th 2011
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