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shrike and hummers



hi y'all,

this eve about 8, i was perched on the front porch watching last call. 3 - 4
Ruby-throateds were in view as they went about doing what they do. suddenly,
one perched on a utility line started an agitated chatter, then one on the
feeder over my head started. another male flew over from a neighbor's yard
and joined in the chorus while hovering. perched about 4 meters from me was
a Loggerhead Shrike, on top of one of my hummer traps, and almost directly
underneath the bird on the wire.

i've seen single RTHUs go after a bird (and a bush-tailed tree rat once,)
and a few times have seen a single hummer join in a group mobbing with other
bird species. this is the first time i've seen what appeared to be a group
of Ruby-throateds with the same focus. curiously, the seed-eaters didn't
appear to be overly concerned about the "Louisiana butcher-bird."

the shrike ended up getting a drink of water from a nearby saucer and
heading off. the hummers went back to beating each other up.

how's that for a happy ending?

;-)

gary phillips
conway, sc
sunset zone 31

"...where is the person, I ask, who, on observing this glittering fragment
of the rainbow, would not pause, admire, and turn his mind with
reverence..." (J.J. Audubon)