The Loggerhead Shrike, A Rare Opportunity, Part 1 of 4

It is fairly rare for smaller birds to perch close to where I am photographing and remain long enough to take a short series of photos, but this Loggerhead Shrike was exceptionally cooperative. I was looking for wildflowers still blooming at the beginning of January when this shrike flew across the river and landed on a drying sunflower stalk about fifteen to twenty feet from where I was standing. There was just enough wind, it was having some difficulty keeping its balance:

I had the impression it was getting a bit frustrated holding on to the stalk and would fly off to find a more secure perch... (to be continued)

This set of photographs was taken at the Roosevelt Park Trailhead on the Mission Reach of the San Antonio River on Thursday, January 2, 2014.