Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Rob'in'To on February 13, 2011, 03:45:15 PM

Title: I finally saw the Shrike...
Post by: Rob'in'To on February 13, 2011, 03:45:15 PM

Woo hoo!  I finally saw the Northern Shrike at Col. Sam Smith this afternoon.  It wasn't for very long (couple minutes) but enough for me to get a great view through the binoculars.

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Post by: Reuven_M on February 13, 2011, 04:06:47 PM

Nice!

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Post by: birdstitcher on February 13, 2011, 04:28:39 PM

Terrific!!!

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Post by: angieinto on February 13, 2011, 04:34:29 PM

I was home baking cookies, so I missed it.  :(  
But I'm really thrilled he finally saw it, he's been talking about it for YEARS!  :P

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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 13, 2011, 05:33:17 PM

Ya, I'm psyched.  It's going on 3 years now since I started seeking any Shrike out, with some trips to Carden.  And now 7 trips to Sam Smith in the past 6 weeks had me finally run into him.  I do hope to find him again...  once is not enough.

I spent more time absorbing him visually than trying to take a photo (but I did try despite our distance and his height in this tree).

I want to thank those who have shared where I might find him at C.S.S.

(http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/lilevl13/shrike.jpg)

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Post by: cairnstone on February 17, 2011, 04:47:45 PM

Took a trip down to Sam Smith today to look for the shrike. Wasn't hard. It found me. Once on the western peninsula, once on the central peninsula and once at the parking lot. I last saw it flying off toward the school.

It was a horrible day for photography (especially for an amateur like me), but I managed a few photos.

Just after noon today, February 17, 2011.

http://www.whatbird.com/forums/forums/s ... rike01.jpg (http://www.whatbird.com/forums/forums/storage/1410/211673/shrike01.jpg)

http://www.whatbird.com/forums/forums/s ... rike02.jpg (http://www.whatbird.com/forums/forums/storage/1410/211674/shrike02.jpg)

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Post by: ravynne40 on February 17, 2011, 09:15:21 PM

Quote from: "cairnstone"

Took a trip down to Sam Smith today to look for the shrike. Wasn't hard. It found me. Once on the western peninsula, once on the central peninsula and once at the parking lot. I last saw it flying off toward the school.

It was a horrible day for photography (especially for an amateur like me), but I managed a few photos.

Just after noon today, February 17, 2011.

http://www.whatbird.com/forums/forums/s ... rike01.jpg (http://www.whatbird.com/forums/forums/storage/1410/211673/shrike01.jpg)

http://www.whatbird.com/forums/forums/s ... rike02.jpg (http://www.whatbird.com/forums/forums/storage/1410/211674/shrike02.jpg)

i love the first photo its gorgeous. congrats on seeing the elusive shrike :) he is a beauty.

Title: Re: I finally saw the Shrike...
Post by: ravynne40 on February 17, 2011, 09:16:10 PM

Quote from: "Rob'in'To"

Woo hoo!  I finally saw the Northern Shrike at Col. Sam Smith this afternoon.  It wasn't for very long (couple minutes) but enough for me to get a great view through the binoculars.

congrats! he's a real beauty!

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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 18, 2011, 05:02:24 AM

Funny how some see him just like that.  He eluded me for many trips.  I am hoping to spot him again this weekend with the GBBC.

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Post by: angieinto on February 18, 2011, 05:42:25 AM

Me too!  :D
It would be my first time seeing one.

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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 18, 2011, 05:04:38 PM

Fingers crossed.

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Post by: cairnstone on February 18, 2011, 06:51:14 PM

Quote from: "Rob'in'To"

Funny how some see him just like that.  He eluded me for many trips.  I am hoping to spot him again this weekend with the GBBC.

Yes I was lucky. In fact, if I had not read about it here I would have just assumed it was a mockingbird when it flew past (which is originally what I thought). I would likely have missed it completely had I not known beforehand there was a shrike there (I have heard there are 2).

There were only 3 other people in the park when I found it which likely helped too.

Good luck in your quest.

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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 19, 2011, 09:18:57 AM

Thanks!  I'd mistake him for a Mocker too if not knowing beforehand.

Today isn't looking like a good day to hit Sam Smith.  The winds are brutal!  I don't need Mother Nature tossing me into the lake.

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Post by: ravynne40 on February 19, 2011, 09:45:07 AM

Quote from: "Rob'in'To"

Thanks!  I'd mistake him for a Mocker too if not knowing beforehand.

Today isn't looking like a good day to hit Sam Smith.  The winds are brutal!  I don't need Mother Nature tossing me into the lake.

I was going to head out but decided not to as well, I wonder how many people thought the shrike was the mocker at first, I thought the same and just figured it just me as I'm not great at ID"ing lots of birds LOL

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Post by: dbellilo on February 19, 2011, 10:22:34 AM

Hi there,
I was at Col Sam yesterday, and the shrike was nowhere to be found. Bad day to head out there yesterday, today too, with all this wind. Prior to yesterday's visit, I was 5 for 5 with shrike luck. For a while there, I was even convinced the little bird was in love with me? But the hearts of butcherbirds are selfish, fickle, and untrustworthy...
Best to you
David B.

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Post by: ravynne40 on February 19, 2011, 12:09:07 PM

lol I had a red-tailed hawk that did that to me at Marie Curtis..two years in a row, he would hang out and taunt me..then sit pretty for pictures for hours...seems he had more patience then I did (had to leave cuz the memory card was full) :)
of course, he did not follow!

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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 22, 2011, 04:51:44 PM

Well, starting over with the count, might as well to be positive...  I am two for two now.   :D   It was Angie's first time seeing him and she just knew he'd be there, and he was, right out in the open.  This is where the pellet spewing occurred.  Now I have had a few good long looks at him, next is to hopefully get a photo I am very happy with.

Interesting that people are saying there are two of them now.  One will hopefully sit pretty for me one of these days.  I will have more patience when the temperature is above zero though.

Laughing at the last couple comments.  It's posts like these that make the board so enjoyable.  Butcherbirds...  ha ha ha...