Bird-watchers visiting the RSPB Lakenheath Fen nature reserve could be in for a treat, following a recent sighting there of the rare species of bird which is known by its nickname, the ‘butcher bird’.
The bird, the proper name of which is the great grey shrike, originates from Scandinavia. It is usually very hard to find in Britain, as it is estimated that only about 60 of the creatures choose to visit here each winter.
Distinguished by the mask-like black stripe across that part of its head where its eyes are situated, the bird derives its ‘butcher bird’ nickname from the way in which it stores its prey by skewering it on the spikes of hawthorn and other thorny bushes.
Although the bird is rare in Britain, once its general location is known it can be relatively easy to spot.
A similar size to a blackbird, the creature’s location is often given away by its customary method of hunting for its prey by perching in the open and watching intently; as well as, of course, by the fact that the black stripe across its eyes stands out so clearly against its white plumage.
The last occasion when a great grey shrike was spotted at the reserve was during the winter of 2008 and 2009, when it stayed until April.
Given that the bird can live for more than five years, it is possible that the same creature which visited in 2008 might have made its way back again.
The reserve is open to the public, subject to a £2 parking fee for non-RSPB members.
