Observed aprox 10:45-12:45. One adult for all 2 hours. The juvenile for the first 20 minutes or so. The adult was the bird I saw last Wednesday.

I ran into Jerry Tarbell and we looked for "the" N. Shrike for awhile with no luck. We were at the treeline along the cattails when we headed over to the other treeline, the one where "it" had been active of late. I spotted a group of mockers flapping and flying and spotted  a N. Shrike among them. We could see that 2 other people were on the other side of the trees with bins and a scope. We crossed the path and joined them--they'd been gesturing to us, with 2 fingers in the air--not a peace sign.

They were Scott Benedict and Bobbi Benedict. They immediately told us that they had TWO Northerns and had been observing them for about 20 minutes--one adult and one juvenile. Furthermore, they had gotten both of them together in the same scope shot!!!! (How illustrative!) One bright adult, one brownish juvenile. (They had a high quality scope.) They're telling us this as we're trying to follow the shrike(s). I got on the adult with my bins, then lowered them to see more. Then the bright adult took off flying toward the back--along with a SECOND bird that was distinctly BROWNISH.  I got my bins on them and for a quick but clear moment had both of them, including the brownish bird (it was a shrike, it's head--it was the juvenile) together, the two of them. They both flew to the back line of trees, over the plastic-sheathed saplings. The juvenile did not return. But fortunately the adult did--and was still hanging around the bottom half of the left treeline (as seen from the gazebo) when I left around 12:45. (According to Scott and Bobbi, during the time that both shrikes were around, they were hanging out together.)

We enjoyed watching the adult for quite a while. It was all over the treeline--at treetops, mid-level, and on the ground. It often flew to the ground for a brief time then would fly back to a perch. It particularly liked the brushy area around and atop a gnarly tree (like a home for a troll or elf) next to the path through the treeline.

One thing for sure: it helps to have a scope. It made everything so clear and detailed. I have pretty good bins, but the scope view made the mask and other details crystal clear. Truly a wonderful experience today. I kept hoping and praying the juvy would come back, but alas no. I believe, now, that we've been getting reports not of one bird but actually of two. How "insane" is that!

Scott gave me his card, but I don't feel right about giving out his contact info publicly, but if anyone wants to contact him to find out more about his great views, let me know, and I'll give the contact info--imagine: the view of both, one adult and one juvy, in one shot, amazing. A singular memory for a lifetime.

All good birding,

Tim Houghton (Glen Arm)