JP
03-19-2011, 08:35 AM
If you don't want to read my short story on this bird, feel free to scroll down to the four pics :lol8:
Down here there are a good number of improved pastures and houses that sit on acreage. They are fenced with wood posts, three inch wire squared mesh and barbwire strewn along the very top. As you pass by these fences, every so often, something will catch your eye on the barbwire. Closer inspection, hips and legs of a frog, head of a frog, mole crickets, snakes... Yep, impaled on one of the tines of barbwire :mrgreen: Just about poking through the carcass. I no no idea what in God's creation did such a thing. So, I asked a few friends down here. I was told it was a bird and that was about it.
So, being knew to Florida, I am interested in wildlife that is here. Some are the same we have back in Connecticut and some, very new to me. Saw the Caracaras down here and educated myself on them. Around here for the birdie population we have a few robins, then there are the ever abundant mockingbirds, cattlebirds, purple martins, mourning doves, yada, yada, yada. One bird, no idea. It has a black mask and just about the size of a robin. Very clean black, gray and white. Searched around the Net and found it to be a loggerhead shrike. Doing some reading, oh yea, he is the impaler :mrgreen:
So, we have this good looking little bird with an attitude and one that can back it up. I guess the easiest way to explain this, is God screwed them. His little joke, so when He needs a chuckle, He just simply looks down at this bird and smiles :haha: It has a little hooked beak, just like a raptor. So, this is why this bird passes up bird feeders for living, breathing things. This bird is a hunter. But, here is the cruel part, it basically has birdie feet. You really can't call them talons and they lack the power needed to pin its prey to the ground and eat it. So, back in the olden days and being one of God's creation, this little guy improvised. It impaled its prey on thorns. As humans began clearing lands and creating pastures for their livestock, the loggerhead had to improvise once again. Barbwire was abundant and made the perfect replacement from the thorn bushes that were mowed over to make these improved pastures.
I also have observed, mockingbirds are highly territorial. If mourning doves, blackbirds, or any other bird enters their space...they spend all day chasing them off. All day long they run birds off the feeder. I did notice when a loggerhead say lands on the same tree the bird feeder is next to, no mocking bird attacks on anything around the feeder. As soon as the loggerhead moves on, the dive bombing mockingbirds are on the attack. The loggerhead is on top of the pecking order of birds of its size and a little bit bigger. In two of these shots was something I didn't expect to see. A bird impaled and eaten on barbwire. The fence meets at a 90 degree and a series of barbwire is anchored in the corner. My only explanation was a fight between the loggerhead and this bird. The loggerhead brought the fight into this series of barbwire and did its thing. :eek2:
Enjoy :bandit:
Such a pretty little bird
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/Zukimog/lh2.jpg
With the mole cricket
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/Zukimog/lh.jpg
The beaten opponent
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/Zukimog/lh3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/Zukimog/lh4.jpg
Down here there are a good number of improved pastures and houses that sit on acreage. They are fenced with wood posts, three inch wire squared mesh and barbwire strewn along the very top. As you pass by these fences, every so often, something will catch your eye on the barbwire. Closer inspection, hips and legs of a frog, head of a frog, mole crickets, snakes... Yep, impaled on one of the tines of barbwire :mrgreen: Just about poking through the carcass. I no no idea what in God's creation did such a thing. So, I asked a few friends down here. I was told it was a bird and that was about it.
So, being knew to Florida, I am interested in wildlife that is here. Some are the same we have back in Connecticut and some, very new to me. Saw the Caracaras down here and educated myself on them. Around here for the birdie population we have a few robins, then there are the ever abundant mockingbirds, cattlebirds, purple martins, mourning doves, yada, yada, yada. One bird, no idea. It has a black mask and just about the size of a robin. Very clean black, gray and white. Searched around the Net and found it to be a loggerhead shrike. Doing some reading, oh yea, he is the impaler :mrgreen:
So, we have this good looking little bird with an attitude and one that can back it up. I guess the easiest way to explain this, is God screwed them. His little joke, so when He needs a chuckle, He just simply looks down at this bird and smiles :haha: It has a little hooked beak, just like a raptor. So, this is why this bird passes up bird feeders for living, breathing things. This bird is a hunter. But, here is the cruel part, it basically has birdie feet. You really can't call them talons and they lack the power needed to pin its prey to the ground and eat it. So, back in the olden days and being one of God's creation, this little guy improvised. It impaled its prey on thorns. As humans began clearing lands and creating pastures for their livestock, the loggerhead had to improvise once again. Barbwire was abundant and made the perfect replacement from the thorn bushes that were mowed over to make these improved pastures.
I also have observed, mockingbirds are highly territorial. If mourning doves, blackbirds, or any other bird enters their space...they spend all day chasing them off. All day long they run birds off the feeder. I did notice when a loggerhead say lands on the same tree the bird feeder is next to, no mocking bird attacks on anything around the feeder. As soon as the loggerhead moves on, the dive bombing mockingbirds are on the attack. The loggerhead is on top of the pecking order of birds of its size and a little bit bigger. In two of these shots was something I didn't expect to see. A bird impaled and eaten on barbwire. The fence meets at a 90 degree and a series of barbwire is anchored in the corner. My only explanation was a fight between the loggerhead and this bird. The loggerhead brought the fight into this series of barbwire and did its thing. :eek2:
Enjoy :bandit:
Such a pretty little bird
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/Zukimog/lh2.jpg
With the mole cricket
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/Zukimog/lh.jpg
The beaten opponent
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/Zukimog/lh3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/Zukimog/lh4.jpg