Northern Shrike.
Sunny, breezy, slippery day. My Beech Hill hike with dog came in mid-afternoon. We met some friends coming down the trail—they’d been looking for a snowy owl but had seen no birds at all. By that time I’d heard a chickadee and a crow, but that was it.
Red-Tailed Hawk.
But about half-way up, I spotted a shrike. Fairly near us, perched at the tip of a tall bush just at the edge of the trail. Fired off a couple photos then began to walk closer but saw a movement in the snow about ten feet away and stopped to watch the dark cylinder of a meadow vole scurry about under a crust of snow. Shrike food. I had to kind of chuckle.
We walked slowly closer, but the bird flew over to another little snag more distant. Got off a few more shots before it flew again, out of range. Less than a minute later, I caught sight of a red-tailed hawk soaring, scanning the snow.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 3:15 p.m., I hiked the open trail.
1. Black-Capped Chickadee** (v)
2. American Crow*
3. Northern Shrike
4. Red-Tailed Hawk
5. Herring Gull*
6. Tufted titmouse (v)
Elsewhere
7. American Robin
v = Voice only
*Also elsewhere
**Voice only elsewhere
Tags: American crow, American robin, black-capped chickadee, herring gull, northern shrike, red-tailed hawk, tufted titmouse
