You've Got to Love a Shrike & a Crabbing Gull!

Last month I popped up to Titchwell when migration was in full swing pretending to be a serious birder!
The main reason for heading that way was the Steppe Grey Shrike at Burnham Norton. Having been rather impressed by the Red-Back at Winterton I thought I would check this bird out too. It was all bit grey that morning, including the bird, but fortunately these shrikes don't mind having an audience while they go about their business of trying to work out why the sat-nav brought them to Norfolk.
Two very average pictures for you to decide which shrike is best!
Red-Backed Shrike, Winterton late Aug 2014
Steppe Grey Shrike, Burnham Norton Oct 2014
Don't let me influence you but my vote goes to the red back, and not just because it has caught a wasp, its simply a really smart looking bird.
Well, once the fret really rolled in, and along with it another load of lenses and tripods, I thought I'd nip up the road to RSPB Titchwell to see what treasures I could find there. You know, a cuppa and cake whilst the mists lifted! It didn't take long and I was soon treated to some lovely sunshine in which the gathering Golden Plover glittered and danced in a bright blue sky - I gave them a Strictly 10!
However, the real reason for a first load of 'Spinkyblurb' is this;
I watched this Herring Gull for several minutes as it worked the saltmarsh for crab and here is its crabby photo story that I wanted to share:
First they waved at each other!
Then the crab tries sumo gestures, it doesn't want to be sushi!
The gull picks off a leg but the crab fights on waving its pincers...
...to no avail!
The crab chucking technique was method of choice for leg removal
Nips off a pincer...
...and breaks in to the carapace.
Once it was all eaten it was time to wash off the mud....
...and start looking for the next one!
It was a fascinating few minutes that most people seemed to be overlooking, but I love watching the detail in the way the wild gets on with life. Plus, the light was just lovely for some photography and quite frankly, who wouldn't want to eat a tasty Norfolk crab.

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