Oops! Loggerhead Shrike at Lake Estes and other first arrivals in Estes Park, Larimer Co.

[Jim Nelson]

I reported yesterday seeing a Northern Shrike at Lake Estes. Nick Komar kindly wrote and suggested it was late for Northern Shrike and asked whether it could have been a Loggerhead Shrike. As I told Nick, I was still in winter birding mode (experiencing a short snow squall at Lake Estes as I birded yesterday), and was just expecting Northern Shrike. As soon as I read his email, I realized the bird I had seen had a broad black mask, and, upon checking my photos, I quickly realized it was a Loggerhead Shrike that I saw, another first for this season in eBird for the Estes Park area.


This morning on my daily birding/newspaper buying walk, I found an Orange-crowned Warbler, also a first for this season in the Estes Park area in eBird. I also encountered a large movement of Chipping Sparrows in one location, easily 20 birds moving through, as well as hearing a couple of males singing along my route. One other person has reported Chipping Sparrows up here in the last 4 days. So they are coming in now, just in time for the predicted 6-12 inches of snow.


Jim Nelson
Bethesda, Maryland