Northern Shrike in Holladay

["Deedee and/or Dick OBrien" <ddobrien at worldnet dot att dot net>]

A Northern Shrike has visited my backyard twice this week. I didn't report
the first sighting on Monday because I didn't think anyone would believe me,
but he was just here again (Wed. Dec 13th; 9:50AM).

Details:
8:55 Monday, December 11
The shrike stayed on the ground in the snow near my platform feeder for
about 5 minutes. He just stood still but moved his head to look in various
directions. He gave me ample opportunity to run to next room for my
binoculars and call my husband to window to verify what I was seeing. He was
fairly pale gray, the mask did not extend over the bill, the bill was quite
large, and faint barring was apparent on his breast. We wondered if he was
injured. Then--he flew off, a magpie landed where he had been, and the
magpie flew up carrying a small dead rat.

9:50, Wednesday, December 13
Just now I noticed all the birds that had been actively feeding were
suddenly gone, so I took binoculars to the window to look around for the
Sharpy that frequents. Instead the shrike flew from the vacinity of the
platform feeder to a tree on the opposite side of the yard with a hanging
feeder, then out of the yard toward the east.

Since the experience of the white-winged crossbill a month or so ago, I've
kept my camera nearby. Hopefully I'll have a confirmation of the Monday
sighting when the film is developed.
Deedee O'Brien
272-8060
4527 S 2995 E; Holladay

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