Juvenile Loggerhead Shrike on a Tintic Quartzite Boulder – Nikon D810, f8, 1/1600, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Antelope Island State Park is full of juvenile Loggerhead Shrikes right now so it looks like the shrikes had a very successful nesting season. I was tickled to photograph this juvenile shrike last week while it was perched on a dark Tintic Quartzite boulder. Most of the boulders on the north end of the island are much lighter and which makes getting the exposure set correctly much harder. Plus I don’t often see them perched on the boulders.
With the bounty of spiders available to feast on the juvenile Loggerhead Shrikes ought to do just fine and become strong adults!
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to view more of my Loggerhead Shrike photos plus facts and information about this species.
Thanks Utahbooklover, EC, Patty and Scott.
Beautiful shot, Mia. Shrikes are one of my favorites. I think of them as little hawk wannabees.
Glad to see somebody else likes spiders, but I don’t really eat that many of them. I prefer looking at and admiring their intricate, lacey webs, especially when they’ve caught the morning dew–or an afternoon’s raindrops.. Then they resemble dainty strings of sparling diamonds–far more beautiful than the other kind.
I love the Shrike – and hope he (and his brethren) survive and thrive.
The boulder is fascinating too. A very different colour to the ones I see here.
Wonderful image Mia. The occasional thunder and rain have been a nice change.