I don’t spend all day outside photographing birds, depending on the weather half an hour to 45 minutes before my teeth are chattering. Did you know this January has been the gloomiest in a decade? 26 cloudy or overcast days… Sigh…One must look for the wonders out there…then this guy appeared!
There was a big kerfuffle one morning. I was wondering why the Blue Jays were chasing this bird away, thought it might be a Northern Mockingbird at first glance through the branches but as he returned I could see it was an Immature Northern Shrike.
The bird is a pint-sized predator of birds, small mammals, and insects. A bold black mask on the adults and stout, hooked bill heighten the impression of danger in these fierce little predators. No wonder the Chickadees and Goldfinches disappeared so quickly, small bird is on the menu! Groot was not impressed! His birds he said!
Shrikes have a toothlike spike on either side of the upper bill and a corresponding notch on either side of the lower mandible. Known as a “tomial tooth,” this feature allows them to kill prey with a quick bite to the neck. Shrikes are rare among songbirds for their lifestyle of hunting and eating animals. they often kill more prey than they need at one time, but they don’t let it go to waste. They often store food for later by impaling their prey on spines or barbed wire, earning the nickname “butcher birds.” One other photographer said to look for them around Hawthorn bushes, where they can impale their prey! Tough guys these! You never know what you might see if you sit quietly and wait…
I have also resorted to both tricking and tormenting blue jays…those wedged in peanuts slow them down a bit, they have to really work to get what they want…I do get slightly outraged looks like “Sh*t lady, what you doing?” 🙂 Waiting for the sun darlings, waiting for the sun!
Spring must be around the corner, there is a tremendous amount of squabbling going on with both the Hairy and Downy woodpeckers and even the nuthatches are nattering at each other, territory squabbles…same as humans.
I finally took down the Christmas wreath off the house, I thought the birds and squirrels might enjoy the pine cones and yes, it might make for a new photo opp, not for birds though. Ha! My photography assistant was perplexed by this new addition to the woodpecker tree and had to investigate it thoroughly;) Emperor Groot gets special time, being my photography assistant, he sits and watches with me after the other two younger ones have gone in. He has a sled strategy, one shouldn’t sit IN the snow after all!
We seem to be in Woodpecker alley…just no wands;) I was happy to see a female Red Bellied Woodpecker put in an appearance as a male has been visiting as well. Maybe we’ll see a whole family this year!
To be honest, it hasn’t been all birds. I’m very glad I joined the Lanark County Camera Club as they had an outing at a members house to do steel wool photography…What the??? you are asking…playing with fire, who could resist! I have to thank the courageous gentleman who stood on the driveway swinging a whisk, stuffed with various grades of steel wool around his head after it had been lit on fire! The fire department was not involved, it was actually at the house of one of them;) The lovely home owner, Linda, provided a great driveway to do this, as well as tasty homemade cocoa afterwards, it was cold…not bitter cold, but still, Canada cold! This club has a wonderful group of people. Everyone I have met so far has been very kind and encouraging. Can’t wait for the next meeting!
It’s not all birds I guess. It is just my everyday habit to go sit and watch, along with our Sunday trip to the barn to help out and mingle with our four footed friends, feline and equine. The drive down sometimes provides some exciting views!
Share the road aye! Ah, Canada! I’ve missed not having too many deer around the house this year. I fear the worst for Spitz as he hasn’t put in any more appearances, and our cantaloupe loving doe and baby have not been seen either. I see hoof prints in the road as I walk out to check the mail but none have been interested in the bird seed so maybe there has been enough to eat out there.
I can’t say we haven’t had any sun! We have! Enough to melt the snow from the roof for the first time, makes great icicles! So far as well, it looks like my pebbles are surviving the freeze and thaw! That has made me happy, and maybe ready to create some more this Spring/Summer. But now, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, gimme me a landscape, we are going to the birds;) Ha! Some sun and icicles, trying to catch the sunburst with F20 1/1000 sec. 2000 ISO.
I’ll leave this here today before it turns into a novel and the TLDR folks attention span is challenged;) Ha! Am I a Boomer? Maybe! Ha! There will be sun and landscapes and even a shot of the little red canoe! The snow has melted, somewhat, and yes, there has been more as well! Hasta manaña amigos! We’ll carry on then!
