Chipping Norton
Probable 2 Red-backed Shrike: ad male. My wife Sharon gave detailed description of deep russet plumaged birds with black and whit tail markings flying away from her. Size just bigger than a Blackbird. Either a pair of two males. Did not see beak or face markings. We conclude only UK bird matching this description is the Red-backed Shrike. SP297276. 09:30.
Steve Akers
I'm making no assumptions about your wife's birding experience but, more than once I've seen birds reported as male red backed shrikes that turned out to be Greenland wheatear, with their browner backs.dark mask and tail pattern plumage pattern a bit RBS like, tho not shape obviously. RBS aren't bigger than blackbirds. Just a thought.
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