Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2003 15:12:02 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: "Lori K. Brown" Subject: Merlin! Comments: To: voice@audubonnaturalist.org MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear List & VoN: Went for a long walk along the roads north of Loch Raven Reservoir in Phoenix, MD, today, mainly for exercise, but brought my binoculars along 'just in case'. Went about 4 miles, and saw this bird about three miles along, near the intersection of Blenheim & Dance Mill Rds. The merlin flew rapidly and directly across the horse pastures. The bird's flight was muscular and it was a bit larger than a kestrel, and its plumage was streakier and browner than a kestrel. I think it was a female. Highlight of the morning! Lori K. Brown Baltimore, MD ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================