[EBB Sightings] Northern Shrike?

Wendy, stop hopping around.

Rusty Scalf and I have been trading thoughts on Wendy's photos. I did 
some web image searches on Google, looked through a row of field guides 
and re-read Pyle. For a while, Northern Shrike (NSHR*) seemed good. But 
I read in Pyle that juv. Loggerhead Shrike (LOSH) can have slightly 
pale lower bill bases. As I looked over the photos again, I remembered 
that NSHR masks are thinner and their eyes protrude above the top edge 
of the mask. In LOSH, the mask is deeper and encompasses the eye with a 
smooth curve in the upper edge past the eye. The lack of underside 
barring can be then explained by the difference in species and time of 
year.

The white lores illustrated in Pyle is quite a deep wedge shape, which 
isn't the case in Wendy's photos.

So, I've reconsidered and think that Wendy's photos are nice shots of a 
Loggerhead Shrike.

But I'd still be interested in yesterday's report to the Birdbox.

Les Chibana, Palo Alto

*I don't use NOSH for a code because that could be confused with 
Northern Shoveler. The shoveler would, likewise, be NSHO.


On Jan 17, 2005, at 2:42 PM, Les Chibana wrote:

> Wendy's photos look like a Northern Shrike to me. The bill is on the 
> longish side with a pale base on the lower bill, the lores are white, 
> and the mask does not connect over the bill. In some of the shots, it 
> still looks large-headed, but not so in some, e.g., row 1, #2 &4; row 
> 2, #3. Also, it does not appear to be a 1st winter bird because it 
> lacks the brownish barring on the undersides. If they are present, 
> they are very faint n the photos.
> Nice shots, Wendy. I think you can go hop around gleefully.
> Les Chibana
> On Jan 17, 2005, at 1:51 PM, Wendy St John wrote:
>> On Jan 17, 2005, at 10:46 AM, Les Chibana wrote:
>>
>>> On the NorCal Birdbox this morning's transcript:
>>>
>>>> Alameda Co.
>>>> -----------
>>>> On Jan 16, an adult NORTHERN SHRIKE and MERLIN were seen at
>>>> Martin Luther King Jr Regional Shoreline in Alameda. The shrike
>>>> was on the left hand isde of the entrance road, across from
>>>> the end of the 1st pond. The merlin was also on the left
>>>> hand side, just before the last parking lot. (Tracy Scwartz)
>>>
>>> Has there been any resightings, confirmations, or more description 
>>> of the bird? Is there any more knowledge of this sighting?
>>
>>
>> This is VERY interesting to me, as a couple of times last month 
>> (December 19th and 20th), I saw a bird I suspected of being a 
>> northern shrike in what sounds like the same location as this bird 
>> was seen yesterday. I've never seen a northern shrike, though, and 
>> after studying various books, I didn't feel confident in calling it a 
>> northern, rather than a loggerhead, because the mask looked more 
>> extensive than on some of the northerns pictured. The bird I saw, 
>> however, did seem to have a longer beak than is pictured in some of 
>> the field guides.
>>
>> The good news is . . . I have pictures of my bird. You'll find a few 
>> of them (the best of the bunch) here:
>>
>> http://homepage.mac.com/herebedragons/shrike/
>>
>> I would love to hear opinions from people with experience of both 
>> birds, one way or the other. If this turns out to be a northern 
>> shrike, I'd be a happy bunny. (Life bird)! ::grin::
>>
>>
>> Wendy St John
>> San Ramon, CA
>> herebedragons at mac.com
>>
> _______________________________________________
> You got this message because you belong to the mailing list 
> Sightings at diabloaudubon.com
> To unsubscribe, ask questions, change your subscription, or learn how 
> to post to the list, visit the list information page at 
> http://www.diabloaudubon.com/mailman/listinfo/sightings
> Archives of past messages for Sightings are at
> http://www.diabloaudubon.com/mailman/private/sightings
> Archives of past EBB messages are at
> http://www.diabloaudubon.com/ebb/archive/archindex.html