Masked Shrike
Lanius nubicus Lichtenstein, MHK, 1823
Photo © By Dûrzan - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19151023
STATUS
Eurasia. Monotypic.
OVERVIEW
Species not admitted nationally during the period covered (BOU 1971).
NOT PROVEN
0). 1905 Kent Woodchurch, adult male, shot, 11th July.
(W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club 16: 21-22; E. N. Bloomfield, Hastings & East Sussex Naturalist 1: 17-18; H. Saunders, British Birds 1: 11; Ticehurst, 1909).
[E. M. Nicholson & I. J. Ferguson-Lees, British Birds 55: 299-384 HR].
History W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Editor (1905) in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, Vol. XVI. pp. 21-22, at the 117th Meeting of the Club held on 18th October 1905 at the Restaurant Frascati, London, says: 'Mr. M. J. Nicoll exhibited examples of two species of birds new to the British list and made the following remarks: - 1. Lanius nubicus, male, adult. "This bird, new to the British list, was shot at Woodchurch, Kent, on July 11th, 1905. I examined it in the flesh at Mr. Bristow's, three days later".'
E. N. Bloomfield (1906) in the Hastings & East Sussex Naturalist, Vol. I. pp. 17-18, says: 'I am indebted to Messrs. N. F. Ticehurst and W. Ruskin Butterfield for the following notices of rare birds which have occurred in our own and in neighbouring districts. In neighbouring districts of Kent and Sussex - Lanius nubicus, Lichtenstein, Masked Shrike, Woodchurch, Kent, July, 1905.'
Howard Saunders (1907) in British Birds, Vol. I. p. 11, under 'Additions to the List of British Birds since 1899,' says: 'In the Bulletin of the B.O.C., XVI. p. 22, is recorded Mr. M. J. Nicoll's exhibition of an example of this species, shot at Woodchurch, Kent, on July 11th, 1905, and examined by him in the flesh three days later. In my own notes I find it entered as "an adult male", but as this is not in print, it is mentioned with due reserve. This is a very remarkable occurrence, for there seems to be no proof that this species has been obtained in Southwestern Europe or even North Africa to the westward of Tripoli. In Greece it is well known.'
Ticehurst (1909: 122) says: 'The first British specimen was killed at Woodchurch on July 11th, 1905, and was received by Mr. Bristow for preservation on the 13th. The next morning Mr. Michael J. Nicoll and the author examined the bird in the flesh and satisfied themselves as to its identity. It proved to be an adult male in somewhat worn plumage, but was otherwise in fairly good condition. Mr. Nicoll subsequently exhibited it at a meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club.'
Comment Hastings rarity. Not acceptable.
0). 1922 Sussex Ashcombe Bottom, near Lewes, seen, 7th May.
(Walpole-Bond, 1938).
[Walpole-Bond, 1938].
History Walpole-Bond (1938 (1): 326) recording the record in square brackets, says: 'For the following I am beholden to Mr. S. Morris, who told me that on May 7th, 1922, his brother saw in Ashcombe Bottom, near Lewes, a shrike which he described as having had a very marked black line each side of the head bordered above with one of white, extremely vivid orange-buff under-parts and greyish back-plumage. Putting aside the last item-and even so the adult female shows a good deal of dark greyish-brown (not black, as in the old male) on her "uppers", somewhat paler, too, I believe, in first summer specimens - the delineation, as far as it goes seems to serve the Masked Shrike, Lanius nubicus Licht., and nothing else. But if it was one of these birds, and as evidently some sort of a view was obtained from behind, how very strange that Mr. Morris did not comment on the conspicuous white scapulars and (especially if the quarry was seen flying) the black and white of wings and tail, together with the distribution of these colours on the latter. In the circumstances I must, I fear, keep the species in bracket, more especially, as only once has it occurred in these Islands for certain, namely, at Woodchurch, Kent, where an old male was shot on July 11th, 1905.'
