An Early Morning Carden Trek

Still savouring the magic of my Goatsuckering trip from the week before, I drove back to Carden last Monday morning.

This endangered Loggerhead Shrike was seen right away in a tree at the roadside, before flying further back into the bushes, in fact I heard it before seeing it, this being the first time that I've ever heard their call:

Continuing north, a Wilson's Snipe chilled on a fence post:

Much to my surprise, a single Common Nighthawk was flying overhead, I had no idea that they were also daylight hunters, but I suppose you eat when you can, depending upon your diet, right?

I dipped on the Golden-winged Warbler by the marsh, but this male Red-winged Blackbird reminded me of why I do not miss the big-shouldered look from The Eighties although he does look quite dapper, I must say:

You know the birding day has slowed down when I attempt artsy photos of butterflies, in this case a Tiger Swallowtail...

...the underside of its wings are covered in pollen, better seen if you double-click on the photo:

So all in all it wasn't a bad hit-and-run Carden trip that saw both a butcher-bird and a daytime goatsucker!