I finally photographed another Loggerhead Shrike in a nice setting this morning. It’s been a while.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISo 500, Canon 7D Mark ll, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Though many of our shrikes migrate south for the winter there are some that are year round residents, especially during mild winters like the one we’re having so far. I photographed this bird this morning on Antelope Island as it perched on last summer’s dried rabbitbrush flowers. I like the soft textures and colors of rabbitbrush this time of year and there’s plenty of it on the island though I wish birds would perch on it more often. This shrike flitted from ugly perch (pavilion roof) to ugly perch (campsite marker post) to even uglier perch (asphalt road) for several minutes before it decided to humor me with a perch I liked.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISo 500, Canon 7D Mark ll, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
It stayed on the bush for some time but didn’t give me a large variety of poses, though I do like the shaggy mane on this one.
1/2500, f/6.3, ISo 500, Canon 7D Mark ll, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Eventually the bird squatted down a little and looked grumpy, as shrikes are prone to do.
It was fun to finally find some birds again on the island – they’ve been very scarce for some time and this morning some of them even cooperated, including White-crowned Sparrows, Black-billed Magpies and this shrike. I even photographed a Mountain Chickadee – a first for me on the island and one of my few ever. Not a lot of variety but it’s an improvement over recent months and after all, we are in a desert and it’s winter.
Now if the Chukars would only come out of hiding…
Ron
Love the grumpy assassin. And share your wish that the beagle boys will re-emerge.
I think in the last image this bird is getting its “game face” on!
And that “game” it plays is a pretty wicked one, Nancy – so that mean look is appropriate.
Shrikes are awesome–mini-Raptors. As usual…exceptional images.
Thank you, Jim.
These photos make me wish that I could see these birds in person. This one is just beautiful. And I like the rabbitbrush perch, too.
I’m a fan of rabbitbrush, Susan – as a perch and as visual candy during parts of the year. Some folks don’t like it for its occasional smell, its marginal value for livestock grazing (but it’s an important browse species for native wildlife species during winter) or because of allergies but I enjoy it a lot. The yellow flowers are beautiful en masse.
I agree with you about the beauty of rabbitbrush. When I was studying botany in college I always appreciated it, too, because the Latin name made such a great swear word – Chrysothamnus nauseous! (That’s one of the few Latin names I never forgot…)
Susan, that species name, “nauseous” refers to the smell that sometimes emanates from the plant. And I must say that your swear words are much more mild than mine…
Great shots, showing excellent broad black mask field mark!
“broad black mask field mark!”
The key word there is “broad”, Dick. I haven’t seen the narrower mask of the Northern Shrike for quite a while. Sure would like to…
Beautiful!
Thank you, Michelle.
Beautiful bird, beautiful photo!
I’m glad you like it, Pamela. Thanks.
Fantastic shots Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Thank you, Charlotte.