Date: 5/18/26 10:59 am From: Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Merlin VS. Redwing
Very interesting, thanks for sharing Dennis ! Seems there are not too many
dragonflies out yet while they were abundant last summer. It is interesting
to see the falcons feed on the wing. Most of the times the Merlin’s would
return to a perch though to consume their prey. Some years ago while
visiting Northern Cyprus, I watched a flock of 15 or more Lesser Kestrels
all feeding on insects while in the air.
Thinking of my post, maybe the Merlin turned tables on the Redwing ? The
male Redwings are very aggressively chasing nest robbing crows, cowbirds
and other large birds. Maybe it chased the Merlin first ?
Good Birding !
Hans
*Hans Feddern*
Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA
<thefedderns...>
On Mon, May 18, 2026 at 7:15 AM Dennis Paulson <dennispaulson...>
wrote:
> Dragonflies are common prey of Merlins and other small falcons. Numerous
> kinds of dragonflies, most of them large, fly continuously as they look for
> their flying insect prey, and they have no chance against Merlins.
> Swallow-tailed and Mississippi Kites catch large numbers of them in the
> Southeast, and the Mississippis time their fall migration through eastern
> Mexico to coincide with swarms of Common Green Darners also migrating south
> well up in the air.
>
> Dennis Paulson
> Seattle
>
> On May 17, 2026, at 11:51 PM, Hans-Joachim Feddern via Tweeters <
> <tweeters...> wrote:
>
> This evening at Treasure Island Park, Twin Lakes, Federal Way, we watched
> a Merlin ( the falcon - not the app) chase a male Red-winged Blackbird.
> They made two rounds, but surprisingly enough the falcon was unable to
> catch up with the blackbird. Wisely, the blackbird dove into the willows,
> which made the falcon overshoot. What surprised me, is that the blackbird
> 's flight was fast enough to escape the falcon. Also it seems rather large
> for a Merlin's prey. Merlins seem to prey on swallows, but I also saw them
> last summer gorging themselves on an abundance of dragonflies.
> They were catching them and consuming them in midair !
>
> Good birding !
>
> Hans
>
> --
> *Hans Feddern*
> Twin Lakes/Federal Way, WA
> <thefedderns...>
>
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