[Bristol-Birds] Hanging out with Shrikes
- From: "Harrington, R" <roneharrin@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Bristol Bird Network" <bristol-birds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:19:03 -0500
For several weeks my daughter, Jill, and her husband, Jamie, have reported
Loggerhead Shrikes near their home in Gray, TN. Several weeks ago they saw an
adult with three young on the ground.
I'm not a "doubting Thomas" but I just had to go see for myself. I spotted
three together in a field near the big brick house just back of Crossroads
Christian Church. This is between the Gray Fossil Site and Daniel Boone HS. You
can access the field by driving around behind the Church. Apparently the field
is part of the HS property, and you can follow the cross-country practice track
which goes around the field. The Shrikes I saw were hunting insects, usually
from a barbed-wire fence which separates the field from the brick house
property. I was there about an hour and was able to get quite close to them.
While walking through the field, I also saw two Red-headed WP in the pine grove
adjacent to the fence. There were several holes in some of the dead pines.
Jamie reports that they can still be seen in the trees near the football
complex, but the pole and trees they used for nesting have been cut down. I
also saw three N. Flickers and two E. Kingbirds. I had a nice time "hanging
out" with these birds.
Looks like Jill and Jamie are becoming "real" birders after all. My confidence
level is much higher.
Ron Harrington
Bristol, VA
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