Meat the Butcher.

A trip over the downs to Churn close to Blewbury was rewarded with some good views of the Butcher Bird or to give it its correct title Red-Backed Shrike. I walked a long way and headed to a couple of birders who were scanning some bushes far along the ridgeway . When I caught up with them, they like me were still searching for the bird and suggested the most likely site was where it had previously been reported about half a mile further back . So along with Gary Stafford and his Wife  we wandered back along the ridgeway and on approaching the old research station Gary's Wife spotted it , as is so often the case the womenfolk seem to be more observant than some of us chaps. The bird gave really good views , although my photographs were not very good at all .
This was a good bird to get and for me relatively easily particularly as the bird which, incidentally is a female, is quite unafraid of humans and well worth the effort to see what is a rather rare bird for the county.
The Feather.

Most action this time of year is on or by water.

A few more photos from a somewhat quiet time of the birding year gave me Black-Tailed Skimmer and Four-Spotted Chaser Dragonflies at Shellingford Quarry. Through my kitchen window all in a group Ring-Necked Dove , Collared Dove and Stock Dove in fact the latter can often number a dozen busily feeding on the wheat and oilseed rape mixture i put out for my garden birds. An interesting Moth flew in the open kitchen window just a couple of evenings  ago called Common Emerald and as the name implies it is indeed common although I rarely see it.
The Feather.

 Woody and both Collared and Stock Dove through the kitchen window.

 Four Spotted Chaser.

 I think these are mating Black Tailed Skimmer.

 Just a pair of Lapwing at the quarry.

 Common Emerald Moth.

 Seals and a Stonechat seen off the Pembrokeshire coastal path I walked last week.