Steppe Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor pallidirostris Cassin, 1851 (0, 29)

Photo © Matthew K Naylor, Dunbar, Lothian, 17 September 2024

Sub-species

STATUS

Southern Russia and southern Kazakhstan to Mongolia and northern China, south to north-west Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

OVERVIEW

Seven individuals have made it to the Northern Isles with just two on mainland Scotland. Two in the west, one each on the Isle of Man and in Cumbria, three singles in the Midlands were in Shropshire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire, one in Dorset, the rest on the eastern side of England.

---

BBRC RECORDS

1). 1956 Fair Isle Haa, first-winter, trapped, 21st September, photo.

(K. Williamson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Bulletin 3: 111; K. Williamson, Fair Isle Bird Observatory Report 1955-56: 25; K. Williamson, British Birds 50: 246-249, plate 41; E. V. Baxter, Scottish Birds 1: 30; Williamson, 1965; Thom, 1986).

2). 1964 Fair Isle Taing, first-winter, trapped, 18th October.

(D. D. Harber and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 58: 368; R. H. Dennis, British Birds 66: 401-402).

3). 1986 Suffolk Landguard, trapped, 6th December.

(L. G. R. Evans, Twitching 1: 50; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 81: 587; M. Marsh, Suffolk Birds 1986: 66-67).

4). 1989 Yorkshire Bishop Monkton, probably first-winter, 31st October to 1st November, photo, L. m. pallidirostris.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 511).

5). 1989 Dorset Portland, first-winter, 1st November.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 524).

6). 1992 Cornwall Cape Cornwall and Kenidjack Carn, 21st to 23rd April, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 524, plates 196 & 197; Birding World 8 (8): 306, photo; J. Ryan, Birds in Cornwall 1992: 162-163, photo; J. Ryan, British Birds 88: 288-290).

7). 1992 Suffolk Easton Bavents and Southwold, age uncertain, 4th to 7th October, photo.

(Birding World 5 (10): 369, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 86: 524; Birding World 8 (8): 306, photos).

8). 1993 Wiltshire Swindon STW, first-winter, taken into care injured, 23rd September, released 24th September, present to 28th September, photo.

(Birding World 6 (10): 386, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 87: 560, plate 167; N. J. Pleass, Hobby 20: 105-107, photos; Birding World 8 (8): 307, photo; Wiltshire Ornithological Society, 2007).

9). 1994 Orkney North Ronaldsay, first-winter male, 14th September to 16th October, trapped 5th October, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 543, plates 188 & 189; Forrester & Andrews et al., 2007: photo).

10). 1994 Essex Great Wakering, first-winter, 26th to 30th October.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 504).

11). 1994 Cumbria South Walney, first-winter, 2nd November.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 543).

12). 1994 Shetland Boddam, Mainland, probably first-winter, 7th to 10th November.

(Birding World 7 (11): 425, photo; Birding World 8 (8): 306, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 545; H. R. Harrop, Shetland Bird Report 1994: 90-91, photo).

13). 1994 Orkney Papa Westray, 11th to 26th November, photo.

(Birding World 8 (8): 306, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 88: 543, plate 187).

14). 1996 Essex Holland-on-Sea, first-winter, 18th November to 4th December, photo.

(S. Cox, Birding World 9 (11): 432-433, photos; Birding World 9 (12): 478, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 90: 504, plate 183; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 92: 601).

15). 1997 Northamptonshire Long Buckby, first-winter, 3rd to 4th November, photo, L. m. pallidirostris.

(Birding World 10 (11): 415, photos; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 91: 511).

16). 2000 Orkney Windwick, South Ronaldsay, first-winter, 22nd September, L. m. pallidirostris.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 496).

17). 2003 Man, Isle of Ballaghennie Ayres, first-summer male, in song, 17th June to 12th July, photo.

(C. Wormwell, Birding World 16 (6): 248-251, plates 1-5; Birding World 16 (12): 519, photo; British Birds 96: plate 278; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 97: 616, plate 364).

18). 2004 Kent Ash, first-winter, 6th to 7th November, photo.

(M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 98: 684).

19). 2005 Lincolnshire Sutton Bridge, first-winter, 16th November, photo.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 589).

20). 2008 Lincolnshire Grainthorpe Haven, first-winter, 7th to 26th November, photo.

(British Birds 101: plate 393; Birding World 21 (11): 442, photo; S. Tarrant, Birding World 21 (11): 457-460, plates 1-6; British Birds 102: plate 34; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 102: 589, plate 387).

21). 2009 Isles of Scilly The Plains, St Martin's, first-winter, 25th September; same, Higher Moors, St Mary's, 26th September, photo, L. m. pallidirostris.

(Birding World 22 (9): 366, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 606).

22). 2009 Nottinghamshire Lound Gravel-pits, first-winter, 4th to 8th October, photo, L. m. pallidirostris.

(British Birds 102: plate 426; Birding World 22 (10): 407, photo; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 606, plate 330).

23). 2010 North-East Scotland Loch of Strathbeg RSPB, first-winter, 14th to 18th October, photo, L. m. pallidirostris.

(Birding World 23 (10): 434, photo; H. E. Maggs, Scottish Birds 31: 178-184, plates 155-159; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 104: 594).

24). 2011 Shropshire Wall Farm, Kynnersley, first-winter, 28th October to 9th November, photo, L. m. pallidirostris.

(N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 105: 594).

25). 2014 Norfolk Burnham Norton, first-winter, 5th to 16th October, photo, L. m. pallidirostris.

(British Birds 107: plate 398; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 108: 600, plate 347).

26). 2017 Shetland Skaw and Vaivoe, Whalsay, 1CY, 13th to 31st October, photo.

(C. Holt and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 111: 592, plate 383).

27). 2020 Suffolk Benacre, 1CY, 4th to 7th October, photo.

(C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 599, plate 404).

28). 2022 Avon Chipping Sodbury Common, 2CY, female, 29th August, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 116: 579).

29). 2023 Highland Achanteny, Kilmory, Ardnamurchan, 2CY, male, 29th June to 4th July, photo.

(L. Bacon, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 117: 707).

P). 2024 Lothian Winterfield Golf Course, Dunbar, first-winter, 10th to 19th September, photo.

(British Birds 117: plate 439).