Red Backed Shrike

Rain is forecast for the next couple of days so I thought I woudl get out this morning whilst the sun was still shining. A visit to Stilla at 0945 gave me the Blyth's Reed Warbler singing his heart out in daylight and actually showing quite well occasionally although every time I raised the camera he dissapeared into the middle of the tree he was singing from. Apart from the song I must say there is not much to tell it apart from Reed or Marsh Warbler on the views I got - good luck to those who identify non singing migrants!
Happy to have actually seen the bird I headed for Snekkervika, Nordre Øyeren. Here my target bird gave itself up after 10 minutes, a female Red Backed Shrike although it was another half an hour before I located the male. Always great birds to see, they appear to be getting rarer although a pair was reported from Maridalen a few days ago. A pair of Hobbys put on a good show flying over a small wood which is presumably where they are nesting. A Marsh Warbler was singing in the distance, 6 Cranes flew over, at least 4 Ospreys were in the area and Whinchats and Whitethroats were singing. A couple of Cuckoos included a singing male and a presumed female that was paying a specific bush a lot of attention and was repeatedly chased away by a Whinchat - no prize for guessing what was going on there.