Little Shrikes on the Prairie

A few weeks ago, I headed out to the Katy Prairie to see what birds might be lingering after the rush of migrations had passed through. There were no big surprises to be found: Grackles, Mockingbirds, fields of Cattle Egrets, a couple of hawks, one lone Crested Caracara. But by far the biggest treasures of the day were a pair of fledgling Loggerhead Shrikes I spotted by the roadside.


The first one I found was staying as still as could be in the tangle of twigs and vines that lined the edge of Longenbaugh Road. The parents were nowhere in sight, and this little shrike was not taking any chances — the only part of him I saw move as I rolled by was his little head, swiveling slowly to make sure this big creature was not coming any closer.

Farther on down the road, I spotted an adult shrike perched on the telephone lines overhead. He/she was keeping a careful eye on something in the bushes below, so I paused a short distance away to watch.


Sure enough, a minute or two later this young shrike darted out of the bushes and winged its way up to the telephone line, just a few feet away from its watching parent.


The adult flew off just seconds later, with the youngster following shortly after.


For more great bird photos from around the world, check out Bird Photography Weekly #43.

Bird Photography Weekly: Loggerhead Shrike

I love these little masked banditos.


Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

And I just couldn't resist sharing this one, perched in the perfect spot: just above Audubon Springs Drive.



For some great bird photos from around the world, check out Bird Photography Weekly #22.

Rainy Days on Tuesdays

"...always get me down." I had high hopes of heading back over to the park at lunch today, to see if I could spot yesterday's kestrel or heron again. Unfortunately, the warm drizzle of the morning turned into a gully washer just as lunchtime rolled around, so I abandoned those plans. Instead, I'll share a few of the other shots I took on Monday's brief (but profitable, birdwise) excursion.


American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
You can go here for yesterday's post to see a couple more shots of the kestrel, who did several flyovers of the bayou while I was there. He moved back and forth between the telephone cable, directly over the water, and the trees opposite where I sat on the bank of the bayou watching a Great Blue Heron downstream.


Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Looking back the other way, I also had a great view of this egret in the distance. Unfortunately, a truck rumbling down a nearby road spooked him after I got only this one decent shot of him.


Great Egret (Ardea alba)
I also got a nice long look at this shrike, who brought some tasty little tidbit up to the top of the footbridge and then stayed for a minute or two to take in the scenery.


Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Throw in a handful of doves, a blue jay and a mockingbird, and as I said before, "Not bad for a 45-minute lunchbreak!"