Due to a change in circumstances I had the day off today and that enabled me to 'twitch' the first-winter Brown Strike at Stanwell Moor, Surrey that has been present since 11 Oct 09.  Shortly after I parked up at Hithermoor Road I was informed by a returning 'birder' that the bird was thankfully still present.  I arrived at the reported viewpoint [TQ035734] to find several birders spread out along the bank of the River Colne trying to relocate the bird after it had disappeared five minutes earlier.  

The River Colne at Stanwell Moor, Surrey looking West from the footpath at TQ035734 - 23 Oct 09

   Luckily I only had to wait half an hour before I spotted the Brown Shrike at 1029 perched in one of the hawthorn bushes on the other side of the river.  Initially the bird was quite mobile and it took a few minutes before everyone present had seen the bird.  However, from 1040ish it flew to a bramble runner protruding from one of the bushes and remained there in full view until at least 1100 when I decided to head home.  By then the number of 'birders' present had increased to twenty. 

Stanwell Moor, Surrey looking northwest from the footpath at TQ035734 at the scrub frequented by the Brown Shrike - 23 Oct 09

   Other birds of note during my visit included singles of Kingfisher and Snipe.  

   Although the views of the Brown Shrike were a little distant the 'twitch' was a great way to celebrate my selection earlier in the week for promotion to Warrant Officer 2.   

Good Birding,

Tony T   BSc (Hons) Geosci (Open)