Unusual Pearson Sighting

[Gerard KlugParticipant]

Sat. 2/13 PNM circa 8:15 AM. It was 20 F with ice and snow cover. A gray, black, and white bird resembling a NOMO flew betw. the tower and Lallendorf towards the r.r. tracks. Seeing how it swooped up to its perch, it became obvious it was a shrike. In a moment it went out of sight. The shrikes I’ve found at Pearson have all been NSHRs, so I just continued the count.

Circa 12:15 PM it reappeared perched just below the top of a tree on the n. side of the Seaman overpass. This time it was significantly closer. Because of time spent in the field in late fall, winter, and early spring, I’ve come across NSHRs at least 22 times. This 1 was unlike any I’d seen. First was its size — about NOCA length (not AMRO size). Next were its proportions. The head seemed big for the body — reminiscent of an OSFL head/body ratio. In other words, it was broad fore, quickly tapering aft. The head was somewhat rounded, not flat. There was little contrast betw. the mask and the crown. The beak or bill was dark. There was no white above the chin. This bird was medium not light gray. The wings were black with a small white patch. The tail was mostly black.

Within the hour, I alerted another birder, but he couldn’t find it.

The field guides and bird websites consulted were helpful, but also somewhat confusing. There was contradictory info. — more so concerning behavior than field marks. For instance, the books say all shrikes have an undulating flight. But 1 of the websites said the NSHR almost always does, but the LOSH often does not. This bird didn’t. Another website said NSHRs perch at the very top and LOSHs don’t usually. Yet another website maintained LOSHs rarely perch above 10 meters. At the 2nd observation, it was above 10 meters, unless measured from the top of the overpass to the bird’s position. According to 1 website NSHRs flip their tails up and down and LOSHs rarely do. But a different 1 said they both do. This bird was dipping its tail. There were photos of LOSHs with surprisingly narrow masks and NSHRs with somewhat broad looking 1s. Many on-line photos and field guide illustrations depict crisp, dapper shrikes in their gray, black, and white livery but few dingy, dusty individuals like the 1 I saw.

Behavior and even plumage can change, but size and proportion don’t.

Lou Campbell stated, “It cannot be assumed any shrike seen in winter is a Northern.” Of course, he wrote that back when LOSHs still regularly occurred here. A LOSH was seen on the ONWR CBC in 1984.

Almost all birders I knew who were familiar with LOSHs have died. I was birding when LOSHs were still present but never encountered 1. Is there anyone in the TNA who has experience with this species? I would welcome discussion concerning this sighting. My phone # is (419) 691-4997 and my E-mail is gerardklug13@gmail.com.
G. Klug

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