[CT Birds] Shrikey Story

[Linda & Steve Broker]

Clay,

These stories from out in the field really provide a richness to  
ctbirdsgroup.  Thanks for Shrikey's story.  I'm beginning to picture  
a future book with the word "Highway" in it.  I hope you are, too.

Steve
Cheshire


On Mar 3, 2008, at 11:11 PM, Clay Taylor wrote:

> Steve -
>
> I marvel at what treasures you mine from your CBC spreadsheet.    
> Keep it up!
>
> As for Loggerhead Shrikes, there was one that overwintered in Old  
> Lyme on Rt
> 154 by the powerlines and Old Salem Turnpike.   The horse farm  
> there was
> named Cricklewood Farms back then, and Jay Hand and I used to keep  
> track of
> it.    It was initially called the "Cricklewood Farms Shrike", but  
> after a
> while we actually named it "Shrikey".
>
> It was present for at least two or three consecutive winters, but  
> never made
> it onto the CBC data because its "patch" was in between the Salmon  
> River and
> Old Lyme CBCs.
>
> The last Loggerhead Shrike I ever saw in CT was a bird I banded one  
> August
> at Hammonasset Beach S.P., while I worked at the Meig's Point  
> Nature Center.
> That would have been either 1986 or 1987.    It was using my mist  
> net poles
> as a vantage point, flying down to catch crickets and grasshoppers,  
> then
> back up to the top of the pole to dine on its meal, avoiding the  
> mist nets
> as it did.    The bird was driving me crazy, but I didn't want to  
> try and
> scare it into the net, for fear it would simply leave the area.
>
> Having one of those "Eureka!" moments you read about other people  
> having, I
> ran over to the sand dunes behind the beach and caught a few of  
> those large,
> white-sand-colored grasshoppers that live on the dunes.   I tied a  
> piece of
> black thread to the thorax of each grasshopper, and tied the "bait"  
> into the
> middle of each mist net.    I had no sooner returned to the Nature  
> Center,
> when the shrike was squawking and fussing in the mist net.    
> Cool!   I have
> to say that bird was THE noisiest, wildest bird I have ever handled  
> - like a
> big chickadee with a hooked beak!    It even struggled and squawked  
> when we
> put it into the holding can for weighing - most every bird I have ever
> handled will calm down when you place them in a snug, dark place -  
> even
> goshawks.   Not this one!     We took a few photos, and released  
> it.  It was
> seen later that day over by Williard's Island, but not re-found the  
> next
> day.
>
> Shrike on,
>
> Clay Taylor
> Moodus, CT
> ctaylor at att.net
>