The Orange Wind Sock by the Bird's Eye Factory Car Park

20th October 2014

The last Red-backed Shrike that I photographed was at West Canvey Marshes on the 13th September 2013, and so when another reasonably local long-staying bird turned up I was on my way. I received detailed instructions from my old chum Andy Field. Go to Ness Point in Lowestoft, follow the track by the sea wall into the Bird's Eye car park and park by the orange wind sock by the fence. That was easy, but what he didn't tell me was that I would have to to walk another TEN FEET to get to the bird!!! Why can't all twitches be like this.

I was able to glean some information on the behaviour of the bird from a couple of fellow photographers and had to wait no more than 10 minutes before it made its first appearance. This bird was totally different to the two other Red-backs that I have photographed, which were both happy to sit in full view at the top or side of a bush or on a post. This individual was very skulking and spent 95% of its time deep in cover and at times could be seen moving through deep in undergrowth.

However, luckily from time to time it would come up for air and would pose for a few seconds just 15 yards away. On occasion it would fly to a nearby post and back but never settling, and I was able to get the last shot by pre-focusing on the post and shooting on rapid fire as it flew towards the post. What an incredible bird.