[nysbirds-l] No. Shrike in Orange Co.
At 2:20pm today I was starting my search for Longspurs and Snow Buntings on Skinners Lane in the black dirt region approaching Pine Island when from a spot unseen a bird flew along the ditch on my left hand side. Immediately I knew by the size, shape and flight that it was a shrike. It flew up and landed on a strong weed and I was able to identify it as an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE. It stayed perched for several minutes until a truck passed me and flush it. Where I first saw the bird was after you cross the creek on Skinner you come to a building on your right. Fifty yards after that was where I first saw the bird. When it flushed it veered slightly left and landed on some weeds along a trench that would be the first dirt road on the left after you are pass the building and immediately before the right hand pull-off area where there is an older truck parked. I was able to enjoy the bird for about 5 minutes until it flew into the ditch, or so it looked, and I did not respot it. That is the first N. Shrike that I have found in the county in a few years and it was a pleasure to enjoy seeing it. Unfortunately the locale is quite wide open and I'm not so sure that the shrike will feel comfortable that wide opened. Especially when there are multiple Harriers working the trenches. Today I had four of them! GOOD BIRDING, Ken McDermott -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! --
[nysbirds-l] No. Shrike in Orange Co.
At 2:20pm today I was starting my search for Longspurs and Snow Buntings on Skinners Lane in the black dirt region approaching Pine Island when from a spot unseen a bird flew along the ditch on my left hand side. Immediately I knew by the size, shape and flight that it was a shrike. It flew up and landed on a strong weed and I was able to identify it as an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE. It stayed perched for several minutes until a truck passed me and flush it. Where I first saw the bird was after you cross the creek on Skinner you come to a building on your right. Fifty yards after that was where I first saw the bird. When it flushed it veered slightly left and landed on some weeds along a trench that would be the first dirt road on the left after you are pass the building and immediately before the right hand pull-off area where there is an older truck parked. I was able to enjoy the bird for about 5 minutesuntil it flew into the ditch, or so it looked, and I did not respot it.That is the first N. Shrike that I havefound in the county in afew years and it was a pleasure to enjoy seeing it. Unfortunately the locale is quite wide open and I'm not so sure that the shrike will feel comfortable that wide opened. Especially when there are multiple Harriers working the trenches. Today I had four of them!GOOD BIRDING,Ken McDermott -- NYSbirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! --
