As the clouds thickened, the north wind intensified and light snow fell in the frigid afternoon air, a merlin appeared on our farm yesterday. These small, dark falcons breed across Alaska, Canada and the Northern Rockies and their appearance each fall often coincides with the first bout of winter weather.
During the colder months, merlins are fairly common across the Western U.S. and in coastal areas of the Southeast; there they favor open country with nearby trees where they feast on songbirds and shorebirds. Often hunting from a perch, these small but powerful raptors chase prey as they scatter into the air, snaring a victim in flight.
Yesterday's visitor had perched in a leafless locust tree overlooking our front "lawn" and a small pasture. Unfortunately, his presence drew the attention of black-billed magpies that harassed him with their raucous squawks and the falcon soon disappeared into the gray, snowy sky.
During the colder months, merlins are fairly common across the Western U.S. and in coastal areas of the Southeast; there they favor open country with nearby trees where they feast on songbirds and shorebirds. Often hunting from a perch, these small but powerful raptors chase prey as they scatter into the air, snaring a victim in flight.
Yesterday's visitor had perched in a leafless locust tree overlooking our front "lawn" and a small pasture. Unfortunately, his presence drew the attention of black-billed magpies that harassed him with their raucous squawks and the falcon soon disappeared into the gray, snowy sky.
