These ten images above depict a BROWN SHRIKE present on North Uist on 18 November 2008 (Brian Rabbitts). It represents the first record for the Outer Hebrides and the second Brown Shrike to be recorded this year.
The bird is a male cristatus in advanced first winter plumage. The tertials show two generations of feather with the smallest being replaced (and showing a rufous fringe) which contrasts with the retained juvenile tertials which show obvious pale fringes.
Thanks to Lars Svensson, the identification was finally sorted out. I would also like to thank Paul Boyer (the original finder), Brian Rabbitts (for providing additional images and offering first hand observations), Steve Duffield, Angus Murray, John McLoughlin and Chris Batty for some extremely good thought-provoking discussions. I am also extremely grateful to Paul Leader (of Asia) for confirming the identification and commenting on the ageing of the bird.
