A Small Predator

One morning, a small bird was chased by an American Crow.   It turned out to be a falcon,  a Merlin.

"Get out of my territory.  Don't you dare kill my little friend."

"Ready to fight?"

This morning was quiet without a crow.

"Today is a better day for me."

A Predator Watch

In winter,  predators return to town to look for food.  The other morning I heard a crow squawking loudly.    There he was, busy harassing a falcon.

"I am a Merlin, a small predator."

"Just leave me alone, Mr. Crow."

"There's no chance for me to find any food here."

A Winter Visitor

On the top of a neighbor's sequoia tree, there was a large bird.  I quietly moved close to my backyard fence to take a close look.  It turned out not to be a Cooper's Hawk, which often hangs around here.

"I am Merlin, a kind of falcon."

One of my bird books mentions that he is a powerful flyer without hovering and catches birds in flight by a sudden burst of speed.."

"I don't have luck here and off to another locale to find 

some birds, large insects and small rodents."

Falcon: Merlin

I know there are many hawks.  Some are called falcons.  What does it really mean?  Today I found out by the following explanation in a Field Guide by National Geographic:

                           Falcons are distinguished from hawks

                           by their long wings, which are bent back

                           at the "wrist" and . . . narrow, and pointed. 

                           Females are larger than males.

 

Lately I have seen a Merlin perched on top of a far away tall fir tree in the neighborhood.  I can tell it is a Merlin thru my camera lens.  Yesterday it was perched on top of the next door neighbor's tree. 

 

Adult male is gray-blue above, while female and juvenile usually dark brown. 

 

"Who are you down there?  Someone who's staring at me."

 

 

 

"I'm off.  Jump."

 

 

 

"Go." 

 

 

"Zoom to grab food."

 

 

It disappeared in no time. 

Merlin (Falcon), female

A new bird: a female Merlin was looking down on me, showing off her wings and tail on top of a nearby sequoia.