Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2003 18:19:20 EST Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Rick Sussman Subject: Re: Merlin MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In a message dated 12/8/2003 10:02:12 AM Eastern Standard Time, JSPEICHER@NIAID.NIH.GOV writes: I was out with my small dog when the falcon - easily identifiable as such by wing shape - flew not more than two feet from me, between me and my dog, and not more than three feet off the ground to perch in a tree briefly before flying off into the dark. Before bed I checked my two guides (Peterson's and Robbins/Golden Guide). The Peterson's was generally helpful in a pictorial way, but the Robbins included a statement that this falcon often flies low to the ground - perfect! My ID is Merlin. Jim, Interesting observations! A few years back, I had a similar experience with what turned out to be a Merlin also. I was out in front of my shop in Silver Spring, talking with a neighboring cabinetmaker, about dusk, in late November. Suddenly a House Sparrow flew between us and the loading dock (a distance of not more than a few feet), followed by a fast moving "streak". The streak turned out to be a Merlin, which hung around all winter, and came back for at least 6 years every winter. It roosted in a large evergreen tree across the street from our building, and often perched in the tallest dead sang of a tulip tree across the street. It also often hunted right at dusk, like yours. I still look for it, but haven't seen it in a couple of years. I did see another in Sandy Spring the day before Thanksgiving however. Keep your eyes peeled for your bird. It may stay around all winter, picking off House Sparrows, Starlings and other feeder birds. Rick Sussman Ashton,MD warblerick@aol.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================