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Today, I set out to see one of the Mountain Bluebirds that had been reported recently in Kokanee Creek Park. I headed out a few times. I failed to see one. I will keep looking—the bird is worth seeing.<\/p>\n
Yet during the search, I did see and photograph two other rather nice finds.<\/p>\n
The Northern Shrike is a curious bird: a\u00a0predatory songbird that mimics a raptor in the way it hunts small birds, mammals, and insects. As does a raptor, it uses its hooked bill to kill and dismantle its prey. But unlike a raptor, it lacks tallons to hold its prey. Its solution is to impale its prey on a thorn. The thorn holds it in place as the bird dismantles it with its hooked bill. It is probably no accident that one often sees the Northern Shrike sitting on a black hawthorn, as it does here. This bird, while not common, can be seen throughout the winter. Yet, from May to September it heads farther north to breed.
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The Common Loon, however, is not all that common during the winter but becomes more so in the summer. Today, these two species overlapped. I guess I will have to look for a Mountain Bluebird another day.
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Today, I set out to see one of the Mountain Bluebirds that had been reported recently in Kokanee Creek Park. I headed out a few times. I failed to see one. I will keep looking—the bird is worth seeing. … Continue reading