ML645815116

Observation details

This species was reported here yesterday on the Audubon app, and today I searched most of the park for it—worth the wait! I first saw the bird along the path through a meadow at 10:30 am (please see attached map for locations and respective times). It flew like a mockingbird but was lighter gray with dark eyes and a thick black eyeline, which I saw as it perched briefly on some flower stems before it flew off. After half an hour observing other birds, I returned to the spot, then continued up the hill and found the bird again, this time in a tree, where I photographed it (backlit) and noted its hooked bill and wicked talons. The shrike flew downhill, where I relocated it. I watched and photographed it perched until 11:20, when it flew deeper into the marshy area to the east of the parking lot. In addition to the field marks already mentioned, the black did not continue above the eyes or above the bill, and the underside had some subtle barring. The white patches on the wings in flight were small, and when perched, the bird bobbed its tail several times. Digiscope attached; better photos to come.