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Steve,
I'm afraid you're out there dangling in the wind on
the Northern Shrike. As I stated before, I admire your courage, and I have
vacillated back and forth on the two species, afraid to take a definitive stand,
though leaning toward the Loggerhead. Apparently, some of these guys have bigger
hooks than the field guides show.
I have had several more private responses
since your post from reputable birders who all think this is a Loggerhead.
One of the key field marks that has come up more than once is the eye being
completely enclosed by the mask.
Thanks for sticking your neck out, and I agree with
your analysis, even if it might be wrong. I'll continue sitting on the
fence for this one. After all, it's just one bird ;-)
Jim Bailey
2032 Ribbon Lane Holladay, UT 84117 (801) 274-8034 A hobby must be in a large degree useless,
inefficient, laborious or
irrelevant -Aldo Leopold |