Re: [SBB] Merlins???

["Yatsko, Nick" <[[email protected]]>]

... to add to the sightings I just had (2:30pm) a Merlin fly off (chased
by a crow) the Deodar Cedar 2 doors down. This is a large tree at the
corner of Winchester and Forest Av that borders San Jose and Santa
Clara. We've had Merlins here every winter for years now and this seems
like the latest I can remember having one here.

Nick

-----Original Message-----
From: [[email protected]]
[mailto:[[email protected]]] On Behalf Of Mike Rogers
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 11:55 AM
To: Kendric C. Smith; birders
Subject: Re: [SBB] Merlins???

Kendric,

We regularly record Merlins every year until about 20 April. After that
they do indeed become scarcer, but in recent years we have had several
northern California reports into the first few days of May (these being
submitted to me in my capacity as regional editor for North American
Birds), culminating with a report last year by Steve Rottenborn in
Gilroy on 24 May. There has even been speculation that this species may
now be breeding in extreme northern California, as there have been an
increasing number of summer reports from there.

Personally, I have seen 5 Merlins between 25 March and 13 April this
year, which is quite an increase compared to my observations during the
winter. I suspect that these are birds migrating through on their way
north, as they were not from locations where I knew of wintering birds
hanging around. It seems likely that a northbound movement may explain
the recent increased number of sightings reported to SBB.

While misidentified birds do occasionally get reported to SBB, I doubt
that this plays a role in the recent Merlin reports. Most observers are
quite cautious about what they report and although many Merlin sightings
are fleeting, several recent reports involve sitting birds studied
extensively or seen extensively (for example, my most recent 13 April
sighting involved a bird circling slowly and repeatedly, permitting
aging and sexing).

Mike Rogers
Sunnyvale


Kendric C. Smith wrote:
> Several Merlins have been reported in the last few days.
> It is quite late for Merlins to still be around, but not impossible.
>
> I would like to mention an experience of mine at Cape May some years
ago.
> The leader called out a Merlin, and then said OOOPS, its a Mourning
Dove.
> Then he said something like:  if you have never made the mistake of 
> confusing a Mourning Dove with a Merlin then you are not being honest.
>
> When a Mourning Dove banks on a soar it looks very much like a Merlin,

> unless you see its pointy tail.  In a nearby soar and corner of your 
> eye looks, Doves appear about the same color and size, and have pointy

> wings like a Merlin.
>
>   

-- 

Opinions expressed are my own and not those of NASA.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Michael M. Rogers, Ph.D.
Mail Stop T27B-1
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, CA 94035
650-604-4732

------------------------------------------------------------------------


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