There was carnage in my garden this week as I watched a small robin-sized, buff and brown bird suddenly descend and proceed to have, what I thought was bath in the snow. The frantic jumping around resembled a chilly bath but then the bird lifted off carrying a mouse almost as big as itself. Of course the camera was nowhere near and neither were the binoculars. I've seen large birds of prey carry off fish and small mammals but never such a small bird like this, so after a little research I determined this predator was likely a shrike. I believe this is not a common bird in this area so I would love to be enlightened by anyone who could let me know if this little predator could have been any other bird.
Update:
Thanks to those who advised this bird could likely have been either a Northern Shrike or a Pygmy owl.
Stewart has photographed a collection of birds in the area over the last couple of weeks.
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| Snow Bunting above Elizabeth Lake |
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| Bald Eagle in a snow storm |
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| late leaving geese |
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| Chikadee |
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