[Douglbirds] Northern Shrike

[jilllovesbirds at comcast.net]

A first for our backyard!  I looked out the back window and saw a Northern Shrike holding a bird in one of the deciduous trees.  Our feeders were cleared out except for one lone junco who was standing as still as a statue on the little platform feeder where I put the millet.  The shrike moved over to another of our deciduous trees and stashed the bird in a fork of the tree.  It would move off to the right of the bird a few feet and watch me watching it, and then go back to plucking the feathers off of its catch.  At some point the junco made its get away.  I don't expect to be getting any more birds at the feeder for awhile unless the shrike decides to go eat elsewhere.

Lately, I have been getting the usual.  Lots of House Finches and juncos, a small flock of goldfinches, an occasional House Sparrow, or flicker, or Scrub Jay, and the occasional visit of Red-winged Blackbirds.  The blackbirds are not unusual for my feeder.  They don't necessarily come every day, but pop in irregularly.  Every once in awhile a few crows will come to look things over.  They seem to be too big to get to the sunflower seeds and don't make a habit of coming by.  The one thing that I am missing this season is Pine Siskins.  Usually when there is snow up in the mountains I can expect to see a few siskins visiting my feeder, but I don't think I have seen a single one this fall and winter.

Wishing All Of You a Great Year of Birding,
Jill Holden
Roxborough Village
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