I had not accompanied Ron to the potholes this time but was watching his video of the trip. I listened to his narrating & identifying the loon on the lake. Then his attention turned to a small bare tree. First he said he heard a robin, then a meadow lark, and finally a flock of starlings. Meanwhile his camera was searching through the branches and finding nothing, till he found a solitary bird near the top. It was a Northern Shrike, and it was about this time of year. I had read that they were mimeds, but had never heard them before. It did an amazing job on the flock of starlings.
Now I always question a vocal identification, especially when someone also records spotting a mimed. We have been fooled by catbirds and sage thrashers before, but we never would have suspected a shrike.
Carole Louderback
Kennewick
ronald.louderback at verizon.net
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