Sunday afternoon brought news of a Long-tailed Shrike caught and ringed at Knokke in Belgium. As it was still there on Monday morning we decided to book a crossing with Eurotunnel and go twitching in Belgium. We booked onto the 11.50 train and were on our way through France by 12.30pm. The drive was pretty straightforward to Bruges and then we headed for Knokke-Heist, slightly confused by all the new motorways that didn't appear on the Satnav. We followed directions on Lee's phone and arrived at the parking area by 2.00pm passing 4 storks feeding in a field as we went. A friendly local gave us detailed instructions and explained that access to the forest had been allowed as the Rangers had got permission for birders to enter. About a 500 meter walk and we found the white Ranger's car, so we turned right, climbed the gate and walked towards a group of birders who were watching the bushes.
The shrike was feeding in a large area of bushes and shrubs and showed regularly and well but a bit distant for photographs. Over the afternoon the bird flitted back and forth along the bush line, often sitting up high or a hawthorn bush at the left. It was always fairly distant but great views through the telescope.
The crowd were extremely well behaved and quiet, including many of the well known belgium birders. We were also visited by a couple of ponies who ignored the crowds completely and continued to feed around our feet, even trying out my tripod leg as a snack. The ranger eventually shooed them away and they carried on munching.
In one of the breaks a Great White Egret flew towards us but pitched down out of sight behind the bushes only to reappear shortly after and fly over giving great views.
Eventually the sun dropped lower in the sky and it was time to start making our way back to the train. The walk back was pleasant and we found some Fly Agaric, Black fungi and Jersey Cudweed before packing the car, turning it round and heading back looking for a Friterie for chips and mayo.
Having worked our way through the streets and round the roundabouts, we came across a small funfair, with Dodgems, Burst the Balloon, Switchback ride etc. and a mobile Frites van. Parking up we joined the queue, ordered four large Frites and Mayo and spent a very pleasant 10 minutes eating some of the best frites ever, before the realisation hit that we needed to get going back to the tunnel if we weren't going to miss the train. The drive back was straightforward and we arrived with 10 minutes to spare after a really enjoyable trip.
The shrike was feeding in a large area of bushes and shrubs and showed regularly and well but a bit distant for photographs. Over the afternoon the bird flitted back and forth along the bush line, often sitting up high or a hawthorn bush at the left. It was always fairly distant but great views through the telescope.
The crowd were extremely well behaved and quiet, including many of the well known belgium birders. We were also visited by a couple of ponies who ignored the crowds completely and continued to feed around our feet, even trying out my tripod leg as a snack. The ranger eventually shooed them away and they carried on munching.
In one of the breaks a Great White Egret flew towards us but pitched down out of sight behind the bushes only to reappear shortly after and fly over giving great views.
Eventually the sun dropped lower in the sky and it was time to start making our way back to the train. The walk back was pleasant and we found some Fly Agaric, Black fungi and Jersey Cudweed before packing the car, turning it round and heading back looking for a Friterie for chips and mayo.
Having worked our way through the streets and round the roundabouts, we came across a small funfair, with Dodgems, Burst the Balloon, Switchback ride etc. and a mobile Frites van. Parking up we joined the queue, ordered four large Frites and Mayo and spent a very pleasant 10 minutes eating some of the best frites ever, before the realisation hit that we needed to get going back to the tunnel if we weren't going to miss the train. The drive back was straightforward and we arrived with 10 minutes to spare after a really enjoyable trip.
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