NO. SHRIKE!!

I finally went out to bird again. I took my 6 year old Liam along as well. I have been very sick of late and in no condition to venture out but got a message yesterday that a Northern Shrike was seen at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park in Louisville. I didn't want to get in the car and drive an hour and a half since I still feel "sea sick" ,kind of how I felt when I ran across another blog from Julie Zickafoose? spelling? apparently a "name" in the birding world? Sorry, I am not into "people worship" so I don't give a damn who she is; anyhow, back to the point...I ran across her blog and she had written something about Black-billed Magpies writing haikus (how the hell do you spell haiku) across the sky with thier wings and I threw up in my mouth a little. That is how I felt heading out but I had to see if I could find that bird.

I packed up a rain jacket and an extra pair of underwear assuming there was no chance of making it all the way with only one pair. Luckily the underwear stayed packed. I started getting hot and sweating about 10 minutes out and threw down the window to liberate the morning bagel. I was able to hang on and made it without being sick. Getting out of the car and walking in the cool air made me feel 100% better and we began our search. We started walking towards the soccer fields where the bird had been reported being seen earlier and met a couple of other unsuccessful birders who told me I was at least in the right area. We walked a nature trail for about an hour around the scrubland habitat where the Shrike was seen with no luck. I saw no other birds and heard 2 American Kestrals. Before leaving we walked past the feeders by the parking lot and saw what I beleive to have been a Black-capped Chickadee? Also saw a Northern Harrier just before leaving. Others there saw a Merlin and a Sahrp-shinned Hawk as well.

I also per advice, stopped by Reformatory Lake on the way home to see a few coots, a couple of buffleheads and gadwall.

After the lake I stopped at Sonic to get Liam some chiken strips and as we waited for them Liam saw a bird and said excitedly "what was that!" I saw white wing flashes and nearly brought the clean underwear into use! It was a Northern Mockingbird of course but after searching for the Shrike it certainly got the heart racing!