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?
Happily using my post-GBBC trial subscription to the Birds of North America online (via Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the American Ornithologist’s Union), I discovered that departure dates for wintering Northern Shrikes in NJ are typically during March, but one has been recorded as late as April 20th! So I’d say there’s a fair chance he’ll stay thru Sunday. Fingers crossed. I can’t make it Sunday, and I’m hoping to see him one more time before he heads back north. (I’m terribly greedy.)
http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna is an unbelievably wonderful resource. I will most likely subscribe once this trial runs out.