Hit and Run!

While watching tropical birds in Burger's Zoo (and having a flyover Grey Wag)  an alert came up on my phone: Woodchat Shrike, Deventer. Wow! A very good bird for our county! It was first seen at 14:00 but not relocated after the first observation. Then as we got home from Burger's Zoo I checked waarneming.nl again around 17:30 to find out the Woodchat Shrike had been seen again! My dad wasn't able to go so I made a quick decision: I took the folding bike and took the train to Deventer from 18:08. I arrived at the Bolwerksweiden, Deventer at 18:35. There were only two other birdwatchers present and they had also just arrived. Together we decided to check the rear of the large poplar bush to see if the bird would be perched there. We had a look just around the corner and there it was: the Woodchat Shrike was sitting 5 metres away from us on a branch! Awesome! I looked at the bird with my binoculars and after that I grabbed my camera. I took one photo and then the bird took off from the brench and landed a bit higher in the same small tree, argh! It wasn't shy at all and we saw the bird foraging the next minute; it was catching some insects and landed on the ground once. Then it dissapeared into the large poplar bush with small bushes around it and it was never to be seen again! My guess is that the bird is still present in the bushes, we didn't see it fly away. The bird looked pretty tired and cold (as it is only like 10 degrees) so I hope it still will be present tomorrow to take better pic's! Nice were also 2 Patridges foraging in a cropfield. 

For what's worth it: my 'one split second too late photo':

Amazing shot of the Woodchat Shrike (Lanius senator).

Twitchers waiting for the Shrike that didn't feel like showing up anymore!