Col. Sam today - shrike, horned grebes

[Reuven_M]

Walked around col. sam for about an hour and a half at midday today. The highlight was one of the northern shirkes singing away (never heard them before, and oddly he was singing from deep in a bush)
Other birds included:
Just the normal species of waterfowl in fairly low numbers, with no dabblers except mallard, black duck and gadwall, no scoters, no Athya except greater scaup and no common or hooded merganser
3 Horned grebes giving great looks
1 coot
many ring-billed gull

Like normal there were very few landbirds on the part that goes out into the lake (just the shrike, a red-tail and a robin), but a little bit inland I found a very birdy area with: 2 downy woodpecker, 10 chickadees, 2 w-b nuthatch, 2 creepers, 2 g-c kinglet, 1 cardinal, about 30 house finch, 20 goldfinch and a few house sparrows

[dbellilo]

was at colonel sam today and i saw/heard the shrike singing loudly, and was glad to see the horned grebes. otherwise, the place was pretty quiet. it's hard to believe that only yesterday you saw all those finches, kinglets, etc. That said, I believe you!

[Brian Bailey]

I found both shrikes there this morning.  The one near the parking lot was singing almost non-stop from about 8:30 - 9:15.  I could still hear it while I watched the other one on the outer spit.  Aside from the shrikes it was very quiet.

On a second visit this afternoon, I only found the one out around the harbour mouth.  He was staying on the north (mainland) side while I was there.

BB

[Rob'in'To]

I just visited Col. Sam Smith, hoping to see/hear the singing Shrike, and I did.  What a sight and sound!  It was deep in some bushes on the east side of the marina.  I was right up close to the bush and he could care less.  If ten thousand branches weren't in the way, I might have gotten a nice picture for myself.  Ah well.  I think despite some other great sightings this winter for first times including Long-eared Owls, Grey Jays, Short-eared Owls and the stunning show put on by a number of Bald Eagles in Nanticoke this past Saturday...  my 3 encounters with the Shrike may be the highlight.  First being after 3 years, finally seeing one.  The second time saw him even better and up close AND got to watch him expell a pellet!  Now the third time was to hear him sing his song.  I still cannot believe this guy is classified as a "songbird".

[mr.sharp-photo]

I just visited Col. Sam Smith, hoping to see/hear the singing Shrike, and I did.  What a sight and sound!  It was deep in some bushes on the west side of the marina.  I was right up close to the bush and he could care less.  If ten thousand branches weren't in the way, I might have gotten a nice picture for myself.  Ah well.  I think despite some other great sightings this winter for first times including Long-eared Owls, Grey Jays, Short-eared Owls and the stunning show put on by a number of Bald Eagles in Nanticoke this past Saturday...  my 3 encounters with the Shrike may be the highlight.  First being after 3 years, finally seeing one.  The second time saw him even better and up close AND got to watch him expell a pellet!  Now the third time was to hear him sing his song.  I still cannot believe this guy is classified as a "songbird".

i was there at 11. saw nothing at all. you're lucky! it was bloody windy as well.

[Rob'in'To]

Hey, seeing a Screech Owl in your other ventures today sure is something to hoot about.  

[Reuven_M]

I just visited Col. Sam Smith, hoping to see/hear the singing Shrike, and I did.  What a sight and sound!  It was deep in some bushes on the west side of the marina.  I was right up close to the bush and he could care less.  If ten thousand branches weren't in the way, I might have gotten a nice picture for myself.  Ah well.  I think despite some other great sightings this winter for first times including Long-eared Owls, Grey Jays, Short-eared Owls and the stunning show put on by a number of Bald Eagles in Nanticoke this past Saturday...  my 3 encounters with the Shrike may be the highlight.  First being after 3 years, finally seeing one.  The second time saw him even better and up close AND got to watch him expell a pellet!  Now the third time was to hear him sing his song.  I still cannot believe this guy is classified as a "songbird".

That is exactly where I had him singing from, and he didn't care about me being close either.