| Common Name | Loggerhead Shrike |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Lanius ludovicianus |
| Type of Report | Rare Species |
| Date of Observation | 06/09/2024 |
| Media |  |
| Number Observed | 1 |
| Reporting Observer's Name | James Doyle |
| Mailing Address | 96 Frost St., APT 201 Brattleboro, VT 05301 United States Map It |
| Email hidden; Javascript is required. | |
| Date Completed | 11/17/2024 |
| Latitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Longitude of Observation (enter 0 if unable to provide) | 0 |
| Place Name | Weatherhead Hollow Pond |
| Township | Guilford |
| County | Windham |
| Vermont eBird Checklist URL | ebird.org |
| Time of Day | 09:11 AM |
| Length of Time Observed | <3 minutes |
| Maximum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 500' |
| Minimum Estimated Distance from Bird (in feet) | 100' |
| Optical Equipment Used for Observation | Canon 7D Mark II, Sigma 100-600mm Contemporary |
| Observer’s Previous Acquaintance With This or Similar Species | I spoke with Chad Witko at eBird about this sighting. Chad confirmed this is a loggerhead shrike, based on the photo I took. I have corrected the date and time based on timestamp for the photo, and uploaded it here as well. This bird was spotted from the road, perched on a telephone wire near Weatherhead Hollow Pond, Guilford, VT. I spotted it while doing a photo drive and pulled over. I was unsure what it was at the time and tried to approach slowly, but it spooked and flew off. I only saw it this once. The picture, attached, is the only one that came out decent enough for field ID. I didn’t realize how rare loggerhead shrikes are in New England and forgot about it until I started processing my backlog of photos from the summer. |
| I certify that any attachments included with this report were captured during this observation event. | |
| Description of Habitat | Weatherhead Hollow Pond is located near a large farm with wide open fields, close to the border with Leyden, Massachusetts. The pond itself is home to various water fowl and the occasional sandpiper, but because of close proximity to Franklin Farm, I often see common farm and field birds, as well as several types of raptors, in that area. |
| Behaviors Observed | I spent precious little time with this bird before it flew away. I readied my camera in the car, opened the door, stood up, took a few pictures and it flew off quickly. |
| Description of Vocalizations | N/A |
| Verbal Narrative & Description of Observation | I drive this area often looking for wildlife photography. I was going slowly when I spotted a bird that didn't look familiar. It was perched on a telephone wire. I pulled over, exited my vehicle slowly and snapped a few shots, but it spooked and flew off, away from the pond. Because of the distance most of the shots didn't come out good but one was good enough for identification. |
| Relative Size & Shape | See image. |
| Head | See image. |
| Feet & Bill | See image. |
| Upper Back | See image. |
| Lower Back & Rump | See image. |
| Wings | See image. |
| Breast, Belly, Flanks, Under Tail Coverts | See image. |
| Tail | See image. |
| IMPORTANT: What similar species were eliminated when making the identification and how was this bird different? | I forgot about this image and discovered it when processing my summer backlog. I tentatively identified it using Merlin and compared my photo to Sibley's, eBird and AllAboutBirds. I was not aware that this bird is rare here, until I was contacted by Chad Witko. He was able to verify my photo as a Loggerhead Shrike. |
| Other Notes & Comments | No. |
| This report was written from notes taken: | Written from Memory |
Vermont Atlas of Life Partners
