Larry The Loggerhead Shrike

Hello My name is Larry. I am a bird. I am a Loggerhead Shrike. We typically have two homes. Our Summer homes and our Winter homes. We fly together in the sky. The sun rizeses and sun sets are magical. Our travels are always an adventure. Our species is considered near-threatened due to it's severe population decline during the years 1966- 2015 3% each year. That is a decline of 76% in total. We love ti live in open country areas with short veggitation and well space shrubs or low trees, particularly those with spines or thorns. We can also be found sometimes in fields, pastures, old orcards, riparian areas,dessert scrubland, savannas, prairies, golf courses, and cemeteries. We can also be found near or along mowed roadsides with access to fence lines and utility poles. One really cold Winter my mate and I got blown off migration course that my family takes each Winter to stay in warm weather like we like it. My mate's name is Carry. I'll never forget it was the same Winter of 2013. It was particularly hard that year as 12 of the entire flock had died of that West Nile Virus. We where on our way to our Winter homelands when the wind and rain picked up so quick that everyone flew for shelter in a hurry. Carry, Sage, Mad, and I all got seperated from the group in an up draft. We were all scared and hungry. We like to eat things that you would not want to. We eat insects, other arthropods, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and birds. We will sometimes even eat roadkill and carrion. Some of our favorite foods are grasshoppers, beetles and rodents, just to name a few. During the rain fall and updraft Carry, Sage, Mad and I flew up far above trying to get up over the rain cloud storm. We perched to the corner of a pine tree barely 4 feet tall. As we snuggled in together to stay warm and trying to avoid the rain, we all fell asleep. When we woke up the sky was a bright blue where the sun had just barely waken the sky from the night stars. Mad Sage and I knew we would fly better if we ate before we catch up to the others. We flew up to scan where we had wound up. I see three field mice proclaimed Sage. We take our time trying to appear as if we did not notice where they where going. We waited till they where next to a nearby pond. We dove onto our prey. They where startled and frozen with fear. So easy to catch. I carried my first kill to Carry. She gave me an affectionate rub. Then I flew up to look for more. Just then Sage called out to me. "Larry you ate that fast you must be starving." I replied with, No I gave my first kill to Carry. Mad laughed and said "Larry you try way to hard." I just nodded and said be back in a bit. I spotted a shrew and took my time hovering near by. As I was diving for it a nearby lizard freezes in its tracks. I immobilize the shrew and attack the lizard aswell. I carried the lizard in my mouth and carried the shrew in my tallons. Those are my feet. I get back to the pinetree my friends and I where visiting and we pile everything together and make a circle around the pile to eat it. After we where full we burried the rest near the tree so we would have something on our return trip. Carry, Sage, Mad and I flew way up into the golden peach sky to decide how far off course we had been blown off of. Carry likes to fly next to me and Sage. Mad seemed a bit jelous about it. He would fly up behind her and jump fly to get in front and do tricks that where obveously an attempt to win her affection. Carry would be polite about it saying that's nice or cool Mad. Three days later we reached a lake with lots of frogs bugs and even a turtle. That we discused the fact that we have not found the other group. Mad kept repeating himself over and over saying this is not good, five times. Sage doesn't think there is too much to worry about saying that in the end when we get to our Winter home hopefully everyone will be there. Carry points out that we need to find a Winter home soon weather we find the others or not. I agree with Carry. When the sun was at high noon we left the lake side and headed South pointedly on the nose. As the clouds began to get gray with rain water we flew in a straight line in an attempt to stay together. Looking down you can see the brightly colored leaves of the trees begin to fall off making it look as if the trees are crying. We enjoyed 2 days of chasing mice and voles in a slightly wooded area with a road near by. As the days go by we realize we are at the florida coast line and that we would need to pick a spot for the Winter and hope to search out the rest of the group durring our return trip North for the summer. As we sat under some bushes in the sand we discused what and where our options are for staying the Winter. Mad was up and dancing and prancing around trying to show off to Carry. Sage and I thought the more important issue was finding a safe spot so we left them alone for a while. After we returned Carry wanted to know if we found anything. We had not. Mad acted like that was the most horriable answer ever. That night I enjoyed chasing a black runner snake for a great night meal. As we ate Carry ask me to be her mate. I was over joyed and said yes. Mad and Sage imideatley started picking a fight with me. I could not believe how fast they where. I flew uo into the sky to get away and better my chances. I then charged at Sage whom in turn turned in a circle at the last second. As I landed Mad charged flutter his wings and stamping his feet like a mini bull. I raised up and charged wings held out mouth open wide and let out a war cry. They both flew away at the last second. Carry ran to me and declaired me the winner. Mad just kept on flying infact that's the last time I saw him. Sage said "Congradulations Larry." I said thanks Sage maybe you will get the girl next time. He let out what sounded like a chuckle. A few days later we found a suitable old orchard with a fence for our nesting grounds. Sage let Carry and me have the best spot. He picked a spot near by that was closer to the fence. After we gathered and worked on our nests we rested on the fence and watched the sunset. It was the brightest shades of pink and purple. Carry is finally satisfied with our nest. It took her 9 days to finally say ok thats it its done. As the days went by I had noticed that it was still cooler in the evenings and some mornings than we Loggerhead Shrikes usually like. I made sure Carry was warm enough and went to ask Sage if he was ok, to find him gone. I was sad that he would not be joining us to hunt anymore. We sang a quiet sad song for him then we worked together to hunt. The weather not being as stable as I had hoped it would was going to make it hard on the hatchlings that are due in 20 days.When they hatch they will be naked, blind, and helpless with closed eyes. Not to mention I haven't seen much to eat lately. One night after a great meal of frogs and insects we where looking forward to a sunset then some sleep when to our surprise there was a snake bravely wrapped around our nest. It was about to devore our last egg when both Carry an I let out the loudest angry war cry we could. The snake did not seem to care much about us charging right at him. I slung him up aggenst the fence and Carry pinned him at the throat. We held him there till it quit moving. Carry let out a sound like she was crying as she ran to the nest to cuddle our egg. She later said to me. "Larry I can't leave the nest." I just nodded in agrement that she should stay as close as possiable till the last egg hatches. From that night on I would hunt for the both of us. Each day I made sure Carry got to eat. 10 days later we got to see our beautiful baby girl. She could chearp louder than anything I'd ever heard before. Carry is so proud to have Sky come into our lives, and so am I. As Sky learned to fly and hunt we noticed that it would soon be time to start our migration route for the Summer. As Loggerhead Shrikes we love to stay where it is warm weather and plenty of food. We fly South for the Winter and we fly North for the Summer. As the sunset on our last night in the old orchard Sky is excited to know she will be learning something new first thing in the morning is her first in route flight to our Summer home. I can't wait to see whom all will be there.