I could almost believe that thinking about something causes it to happen. As I walked through FWG today I was thinking about Northern Shrikes. More specifically, thinking that I hadn't seen one here this year. I know one was reported a month or more ago (and we have a nice photo by Helena Garcia on our blog)but I hadn't had the pleasure of seeing it. So, as I was thinking about this species I looked up and... there was a northern shrike! I thought I was seeing things, but no, there it was on top of a blue spruce by the Old Field. I saw it one more time about 20 minutes later and then, despite my hanging around for an hour, not again. No photos, sadly.

A lone white-winged crossbill flew across the garden. A pileated woodpecker was calling from the Ash Woods while I was in the New Woods. by the time I got over there it had gone. Darn! A raven was patrolling the area of the Butterfly Meadow and the Birch Grove, much to the annoyance of crows who gathered to torment it. I didn't get much of a look at the raven, but heard it calling repeatedly and caught a quick glimpse of it circling. It then flew to the Arboretum where I heard it calling for some time. Otherwise, the usual birds were around, and not many of any of them! A mourning dove was cooing softly away near the Ash woods feeder, where a group of about 8 were clustered. And chickadees were calling, gurgling, and singing quite loudly, and I like to think, cheerfully! What a variety of sounds they make. Although for diversity of calls, crows can't be beat!