Summer 2015
While monitoring dove traps in Southern Arizona, I spotted a unique looking bird…
"Is that....that's a....that's a shrike!"
I yelled aloud to no one else but myself as I stare upon the glorious Northern Shrike inside my dove trap.
The Northern Shrike is sometimes considered the smallest bird of prey; it feeds on snakes, lizards and other small animals, often wedging them in trees to save for later.
Nervous, I picked the bird up, careful with my grip so that it wouldn't bite me, as I knew it would with any possibility.
Getting out my phone to take a picture, my grip loosened, and it took advantage and bit me HARD on the thumb. And I mean HARD – it didn’t break skin, but it was sure close.
I still got a picture though...
