A couple of greats.

The juvenile great northern diver showed very well around the river bridge at Bardney.

I then nipped up county to try for my next ‘great’, a grey shrike at Wold Newton. This was my third attempt at seeing this species in Lincs this month, and I got lucky after a long search when it popped up on a hedge right next to me before disappearing again. Good views were had later on when I watched it feeding on an impaled mouse, in classic ‘butcher bird’ style.

This bird I assumed to be a first winter, with pale bill base and undeveloped mask in front of the eye.

A very nice couple of birds. The flyover spotted woodpecker I saw was the third ‘great’ of the day but wasn’t quite in the same class. Very handsome, though.

Heron in the early morning sun.