The Northern Shrike, after eluding us most of the week, put on a nice little performance with a piece of prey late Friday afternoon (around 4:45) near the NJMC Maintenance Shed. The shrike was eating an early supper, and decided to fly into the tall trees on the former landfill  across the road to finish up.
    Got this grab shot of the shrike and his meal –  thanks to Ron Shields, who had spotted him a couple minutes earlier.
    By the way, it has been brought to our attention that this week this blog violated our "No Shrike Wednesdays" pledge.
   Thanks for keeping us honest. We'll try not to let that happen again, at least this week.
    We are hoping the dude hangs around until Sunday's bird walk. He has been here since Dec. 12. What's another couple of days?

  Dave Rotondi writes: "Late last Friday, I was sitting in my Jersey City conference room looking out at the last remnants of snow gently fall against the NYC skyline when who decides to eavesdrop on my meeting but a male American Kestrel!
   "He perched on a rail 10 feet from the window out of which I was gazing with his brilliant orange breast faced toward me and his head turned east toward the skyline. 
   "At first, I thought it was an American Robin ironically heralding spring as the seemingly endless snow died off, but he turned his head west toward Jersey City to reveal his Elvis Presley-like sideburns.
    "It was a very pleasant surprise to see this beautiful bird on such an otherwise unpleasant day…and in Jersey City of all places – way east of the famed Disposal "Raptor" Road! 
   "It was the closest encounter I had ever had with a Kestrel not in captivity – too bad I didn't have my camera.  It just goes to show you, you can bird-watch from ANYWHERE."  (Thanks, Dave!)