Date: 5/18/26 11:26 pm From: Robert O'Brien via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Merlin and their prey
Down here it's been Cooper's Hawks (among others) which simply sit on the
Chimney. This has resulted in the relocation from the long, historic
Chapman School Chimney, to spread out across the PDX metropolitan area
Maybe just as well, not to be so concentrated.
And as to Merlins and Starlings, our family once spent a weekend in an
Ilwaco house loaned by a friend. Saturday morning, as we were heading down
to the beach, I stepped out the front door, only to have a passing Merlin
swerve upward, away from its neighborhood cruise, dropping at the exact
moment, a decreased Starling, right at my feet. We placed the Starling on
the railing, but upon returning, it was still there. I guess there were
plenty more out there.
Bob OBrien Portland
(please appreciate this was an actual observation of two *Washington* Birds!
On Mon, May 18, 2026 at 12:19 PM Diane Yorgason-Quinn <avosetta...>
wrote:
> Here's my story of Merlins:
>
> I count Vaux's Swifts at migration roosts (chimneys). Several years ago,
> swifts were circling a chimney I was observing when a Merlin flew in and
> grabbed it. This is particularly interesting because swifts are swift, and
> falcons are really the only aerial flyers who can hope to grab one.
> Anyway, this Merlin proceeded to bring the swift over to a low rooftop
> right in front of our team and had a meal. Gruesomely fascinating.
>
> The bad news is that when Merlins tell their friends, there will be so
> many of them out hunting swifts at a particular chimney, that the swifts,
> being intelligent, will search for new roosts and abandon what was really a
> great chimney. This has happened to several chimneys in the northwest.
>
> Diane Yorgason-Quinn
> Gig Harbor, WA
> <avosetta...>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Tweeters <tweeters-bounces...> on behalf
> of Robert O'Brien via Tweeters <tweeters...>
> *Sent:* Monday, May 18, 2026 11:58 AM
> *To:* tweeters <tweeters...>
> *Subject:* [Tweeters] Merlin and their prey
>
> I've had a few very interesting observations in many years (decades) of
> birding.
>
> 1. I was birding the formerly-famous BayOcean flats on Tillamook Bay,
> long ago. There was the usual large 'peep' flock of mostly Western
> Sandpipers,; a Merlin came in, up high, flushing the flock. The Merlin
> casually circled and disappeared; the peep landed and resumed feeding.
> 5-10 minutes later I spotted the Merlin, far off, flying with its usual
> speed, about 12 inches above the mudflats. It soon was in the midst of the
> flock, snatched a 'piper, and again disappeared. The flock, minus one,
> landed and continued feeding.
>
> 2. Birding Sauvies Island, there was a large flock of Bushtits in the top
> of a huge Oregon Oak. A distant Merlin appeared, apparently just passing
> through, flew into the top of the oak, plucking a Bushtit (sorta' like a
> grape) as an orderve, all in one motion.
>
> 3. Once in Happy Valley up on the upper reaches of the city, I noticed a
> pair of distant birds coming towards me at about 100'. As they got closer
> I realized the lead bird was a Mourning Dove and the following bird, you
> guessed it. Down the bill from me was a very large pine tree, into which
> the dove disappeared. The Merlin soon arrived and started circling the
> pine, looking for an opening. After a few transits, with the Merlin on the
> opposite side, the dove decided to flee and took off in the original
> direction, the Merlin right behind. They were soon far above the ground
> which dropped away into the valley, maybe 1000' .And so the pair
> disappeared, just as they had appeared, into the distance.. Both are very
> strong fliers, and their ultimate ending remains unknown. A test of
> endurance, rather than speed, to which they appeared as equals.
>
> Bob OBrien Portland
>
>
