Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) is a small gray, black and white bird that has a nest in the bouganvillas midway down the left side of the ninth green. The Loggerhead Shrike is an able predator, using its hooked beak to catch insects, lizards, mice and birds. It will often rip them to shreds on the spot or it will impale them, especially insects, on thorns for later consumption. They are a year round resident in Mexico but are endangered in the more northern regions of their range, the northern US. The subspecies on the islands off of southern California is on the endangered species list. Listen for the excited chirping of the two fledglings when taking your second shot on 9; you just may hear, and see, them.

 

 

 

Red Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a common resident of the wetland of North American.  The male’s rolling “conk-a ree” call is familiar so when I heard it off of the 1st tee box last week, I was excited!  There were MY blackbirds on their way north. I wished them bon voyage, and went on to make a 8.  Oh well.

 

 

 

 

There are diving ducks and dabbling ducks.  The Northern shoveler is a dabbling duck and can be seen on the pond just past the pump house on 10; you know the one that your second and third shots stray into occasionally? The Northern Shoveler inhabits wetlands across much of North America. It is distinctive because its elongated, spoon-shaped bill has comblike projections along its edges, which filter out food from the water. It can easily be mistaken for a mallard. ‘Em are ducks!