The shrike was still present at Cross Inn early this afternoon, around the
dead trunk in the clearing with a kestrel box (if that's what it is). As I
watched, a female great spotted woodpecker emerged from the box, and the two
birds spent a while sizing each other up before a brief physical confrontation
after which neither appeared victorious, and the woodpecker commenced drilling
and the shrike returned to castching insects. Really quite a fascinating
interaction.
Chris Goding