North West Tour: Red-Backed Shrike, Whiskered Tern, Temmincks Stint - 18th May 2008

A whistle stop tour of SW Lancs, the Wirral and Cheshire in the company of John Wright, Mike Ainscough & Bill Berry saw us connect with three of the four target birds with the exception of a Red-rumped Swallow at Leasowe which departed less than an hour before our expected arrival time.

Above : Red-backed Shrike - Formby Mosses, M/side - 18th May 2008. This singing male, my first ever of this species in Lancs/Merseyside, showed well on a fenceline as it gorged on Bees to a small, but very appreciative crowd. A Quail sang from an adj field on a few occasions.

Above: Whiskered Tern - Inner Marsh Farm, Wirral - 18th May 2008.

Above: Garganey - Inner Marsh Farm. One of three drakes present at this superb reserve.

Below: 1st & 2nd summer Mediterranean Gulls - Inner Marsh Farm.

Above: Temmincks Stint - Frodsham N06 Tank, Cheshire - 18th May 2008.