First Lifer of 2020

Northern Grey Shrike

Not a great photo at all but the above Northern Grey Shrike near Yakumo was my first lifer of the decade……….

It’s a scarce winter visitor to Japan. I think I saw one about 12 or 13 years ago: a Shrike species flashed in front of the car just before sundown on an early January evening. I assumed Bullheaded Shrike but in subsequent years I have seen the grand total of one of those in winter.

A split from Great Grey Shrike (which I saw in Lancashire over 30 years ago) so a lifer it is too.