Last we checked, the Northern Shrike was last seen on Friday morning  (Jan. 15) at the Retention Pond on Disposal Road. It has been seen an amazing 28 or 29 of the last 36 days, which we understand, is darned good as shrikes go.

   Of late, the shrike has been really tough to find). 

  Once shrikes establish their territory, they tend to expand it, so the shrike could be anywhere within, say, a half-mile of the Retention Pond. For example, it was reportedly seen Thursday afternoon in DeKorte Park's Lyndhurst Nature Reserve.

  We even put up this new "Wanted" poster for shrike watchers. First line: "Have you seen this masked predator?"

   If you see the shrike, please e-mail Jim Wright here. He checks e-mail daily, including weekends.