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Friday, July 3, 2020

Another happy birding moment...

So, last month some friends and I went birding in an area of west Salt Lake where we'd never gone birding before (wearing our masks and keeping our distance from each other); we wanted to check out some ponds we'd heard about that are situated between a shooting range and a dump. Not a lot of people were out there, but we did see some great birds: avocets, cormorants, a few grebes, and of course, the ubiquitous Canada goose. But it was while we were watching a great blue heron hunting in an empty stretch of fields just west of the ponds that the happy birding moment happened. We saw this guy in a bush near the road:


It's a loggerhead shrike. Isn't it cool? I've always wanted to see one, but I never had...until that day. We watched it hop from bush to bush for quite awhile as it searched for food. I love its dark mask. It's bird #203 for me! And that's my latest happy birding moment!

25 comments:

  1. OMG! I saw one the other day and had to look him up. Only one and haven't seen him since, but it was exciting for me because I don't usually get unusual birds, and loggerhead shrikes usually like a more open or natural area. It was the mask that fascinated me.

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    1. Aren't they the coolest birds? This is the first one I've ever seen...and I was so excited! How cool that you saw one, too. :D

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  2. Beautiful bird! Today all we saw was a drenched and miserable looking soggy squirrel!

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    1. I think I'd rather have birds than squirrels. Even though squirrels can be pretty cute. :)

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  3. That's a real beauty. 203 birds spotted is really something. How long have you been doing this?

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    1. About eight years. I'm not real hard core about it, but birds are everywhere so it's kind of an addicting hobby. :)

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  4. That's a great shot of a very pretty bird.

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  5. Nice shot! And what a lovely little bird.

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  6. Oh wow, that's awesome! It's such a beautiful bird! :)

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  7. What a beautiful bird. So glad you were able to go out and enjoy nature.

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    1. It's free and I can stay socially distanced from everyone. Two awesome things these days. :)

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  8. Shrikes are not common in the UK as far as I know. I've never seen the couple of varieties we're supposed to get. Don't you just love avocets? We go down to the Exe estuary to see those occasionally, they're so beautiful.

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    1. I do love avocets! I'm always excited when I see one. Do you get Ibis or stilts at the estuary? Or egrets? I love those, too. :)

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    2. No, no Ibis or stilts in this country as far as I know (I'm no real expert) but yes we get egrets. In fact we passed over the town bridge the other day and there was one on the side of the river which I've never seen before here. Hubby was like 'It's a 'bird'...' LOL! Years ago I got to go to one of the best RSPB reserves in the country, Minsmere, in Norfolk and I was beside myself to see dozens of egrets and avocets in one place. I'm easy to please. :-D

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  9. That's a pretty bird! Don't think I've seen anything like it around my neighbourhood.

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  10. Great picture! And very cool to see something so unusual.

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  11. I love seeing unusual birds. Any birds really. So exciting to spot one you've never seen before. I need better binoculars for birding, not that I have much knowledge birding.

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    1. Good binoculars are a definite birding must. :)

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  12. Such a beautiful bird! I am glad you are able to get out and spend time in nature. I hope you are enjoying your weekend.

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  13. Now, that's a good-lookin' bird! :D

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  14. It's always so exciting to see a new bird for the first time! I'm so glad you had the opportunity.

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