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#1
Lulu93
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 01:53 PM
Seen at Cumberland Farms Field in Middleboro, MA. What is it?
Goldfinch, Titmouse, Nuthatch, Bluebird, Oriole, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Heron, Egret, Bald Eagle, Red Tail Hawk, Junco, Cardinals, Flicker, Cedar Waxwing, Red Breasted Merganser, Loon, Hooded Merganser
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
#2
TheBillyPilgrim
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Frank
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 01:57 PM
You've got a Merlin, a species of small Falcon.
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2013: 362 species
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Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
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#3
BarnSwallow
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 01:57 PM
That's a merlin - nice!!!
#4
Lulu93
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 02:01 PM
What??? I have to look it up now and read about them! Also saw Redtails and couple others.
Goldfinch, Titmouse, Nuthatch, Bluebird, Oriole, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Heron, Egret, Bald Eagle, Red Tail Hawk, Junco, Cardinals, Flicker, Cedar Waxwing, Red Breasted Merganser, Loon, Hooded Merganser
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
#5
Clip
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Still Just a Rookie
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 02:11 PM
Third Merlin.
#6
Lulu93
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 02:12 PM
He was dark grayish color on the back, front was Mottled.
couple more pics? Sorry.
couple more pics? Sorry.
Goldfinch, Titmouse, Nuthatch, Bluebird, Oriole, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Heron, Egret, Bald Eagle, Red Tail Hawk, Junco, Cardinals, Flicker, Cedar Waxwing, Red Breasted Merganser, Loon, Hooded Merganser
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
#7
Lulu93
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 02:18 PM
Awesome! Thanks.
Goldfinch, Titmouse, Nuthatch, Bluebird, Oriole, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Heron, Egret, Bald Eagle, Red Tail Hawk, Junco, Cardinals, Flicker, Cedar Waxwing, Red Breasted Merganser, Loon, Hooded Merganser
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
#8
TheBillyPilgrim
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Frank
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 02:18 PM
Still a Merlin 
Life List: 560
Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
My Flickr
eBird
Costa Rica Trip Report: http://www.whatbird....rt/#entry396425
Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
My Flickr
eBird
Costa Rica Trip Report: http://www.whatbird....rt/#entry396425
#9
Lulu93
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 03:19 PM
Thanks! This field is awesome. One man reported 33 different species within a 4 hr span. Can't wait til it warms up to go hang out for a while!
Goldfinch, Titmouse, Nuthatch, Bluebird, Oriole, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Heron, Egret, Bald Eagle, Red Tail Hawk, Junco, Cardinals, Flicker, Cedar Waxwing, Red Breasted Merganser, Loon, Hooded Merganser
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
http://www.flickr.co...s/88766556@N08/
#10
cany
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 03:31 PM
Still a Merlin
What population would you call this, BillyPilgrrim?
New Birder January 1, 2013
Life list: 176
Swainson's thrush, Red-throated loon, Clapper rail, Warbling vireo, Gray flycatcher, MacGullivray's warbler, Western wood-pewee, Reddish egret, Least tern, California gnatcatcher, Peregrine falcon, Black skimmer, Long-billed curlew, Semipalmated plover, Dunlin, Black-bellied plover, Red-breasted merganser, Cliff swallow, Great horned owl, Blue grosbeak, Yellow-breasted chat, Bell's vireo, Lazuli bunting, Black-chinned hummingbird, Green heron, Nashville warbler, Townsend's warbler, Black-throated gray warbler, Ross's goose, Horned grebe, Marbled godwit, Forester's tern, Brant, Western tanager, Bullock's oriole, Yellow warbler, Barn swallow, Brewer's blackbird, Brown-headed cowbird, Ash-throated flycatcher, Ruby-crowned kinglet, Black-headed grosbeak, Willet, California gull, Western gull, Ring-billed gull, Heermann's gull, Brown pelican, Red-throated loon, Royal tern, Elegant tern, Least sandpiper, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Redhead duck, Greater scaup, Western sandpiper, Least bittern, White-faced ibis, Blue-winged teal, Greater white-fronted goose, Golden eagle, Zone-tailed hawk, Rufous-crowned sparrow, Sharp-shinned hawk, Common ground-dove, Black-throated green warbler (continuing bird), Wilson's warbler, Common yellowthroat, House wren, Chipping sparrow, Hooded oriole, House sparrow, Song sparrow, Cactus wren, Western kingbird, Red-breasted sapsucker, Downey woodpecker, Bullock's oriole, Common poorwill, American robin, Cooper's hawk, Dowitcher sp., Red-winged blackbird, Greater yellowlegs, Common gallinule, Gadwell, Black-neck stilt, Cinnamon teal, American avocet, Cassin's kingbird, Lark sparrow, Killdeer, Pine siskin, Spotted sandpiper, Egyptian goose, Northern shoveler, Hooded merganser, Canada goose, American goldfinch, Lesser scaup
Having a blast!
Life list: 176
Swainson's thrush, Red-throated loon, Clapper rail, Warbling vireo, Gray flycatcher, MacGullivray's warbler, Western wood-pewee, Reddish egret, Least tern, California gnatcatcher, Peregrine falcon, Black skimmer, Long-billed curlew, Semipalmated plover, Dunlin, Black-bellied plover, Red-breasted merganser, Cliff swallow, Great horned owl, Blue grosbeak, Yellow-breasted chat, Bell's vireo, Lazuli bunting, Black-chinned hummingbird, Green heron, Nashville warbler, Townsend's warbler, Black-throated gray warbler, Ross's goose, Horned grebe, Marbled godwit, Forester's tern, Brant, Western tanager, Bullock's oriole, Yellow warbler, Barn swallow, Brewer's blackbird, Brown-headed cowbird, Ash-throated flycatcher, Ruby-crowned kinglet, Black-headed grosbeak, Willet, California gull, Western gull, Ring-billed gull, Heermann's gull, Brown pelican, Red-throated loon, Royal tern, Elegant tern, Least sandpiper, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Redhead duck, Greater scaup, Western sandpiper, Least bittern, White-faced ibis, Blue-winged teal, Greater white-fronted goose, Golden eagle, Zone-tailed hawk, Rufous-crowned sparrow, Sharp-shinned hawk, Common ground-dove, Black-throated green warbler (continuing bird), Wilson's warbler, Common yellowthroat, House wren, Chipping sparrow, Hooded oriole, House sparrow, Song sparrow, Cactus wren, Western kingbird, Red-breasted sapsucker, Downey woodpecker, Bullock's oriole, Common poorwill, American robin, Cooper's hawk, Dowitcher sp., Red-winged blackbird, Greater yellowlegs, Common gallinule, Gadwell, Black-neck stilt, Cinnamon teal, American avocet, Cassin's kingbird, Lark sparrow, Killdeer, Pine siskin, Spotted sandpiper, Egyptian goose, Northern shoveler, Hooded merganser, Canada goose, American goldfinch, Lesser scaup
Having a blast!
#11
TheBillyPilgrim
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 03:34 PM
Looks good for a Taiga bird (F. columbarius columbarius)
Edit: I don't have Wheeler to check, but the bird doesn't look light enough for a Prairie, imo. I believe columbarius should be the expected subspecies in the east, even during winter.
Edit: I don't have Wheeler to check, but the bird doesn't look light enough for a Prairie, imo. I believe columbarius should be the expected subspecies in the east, even during winter.
Life List: 560
Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
My Flickr
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Costa Rica Trip Report: http://www.whatbird....rt/#entry396425
Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
My Flickr
eBird
Costa Rica Trip Report: http://www.whatbird....rt/#entry396425
#12
Derek Elsinger
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Derek Elsinger
Posted 30 January 2013 - 04:19 PM
Agree with Taiga Merlin
#13
psweet
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 04:25 PM
Agreed. We get an occasional Prairie Merlin here in NE Illinois, but until we photographed one at the hawkwatch, no one believed it!
#14
Derek Elsinger
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 05:06 PM
Why wouldn't people believe it....that;s just human nature for birders to be skeptical if they didn't see it. I am under the belief that people wouldn't claim it if they didn't see it and give the benefit of the doubt first, especially at a hawk watching site when many good watchers are normally there.
#15
psweet
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 05:13 PM
The question, Derek, was whether the variation in columbarius was properly accounted for. I don't know if you've spent much time watching Merlin at a hawkwatch (there aren't too many places where you can, actually) but the fact is, you don't have much time to watch any particular Merlin. Since they're small you don't see them a long ways out, they tend to fly low, so you pick them up even that much later, and they only have one gear -- which is faster than anything else but a Peregrine. (Bill Cowhert used to say that Merlin shouldn't be 2-syllable word, since you don't have time to get both syllables out 
). With that in mind, distinguishing richardsonii from pale columbarius isn't as easy as it seems it should be.
). With that in mind, distinguishing richardsonii from pale columbarius isn't as easy as it seems it should be.
#16
Derek Elsinger
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Posted 30 January 2013 - 05:40 PM
One of my favorite birds to see fly
#17
cany
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Posted 31 January 2013 - 12:40 AM
Looks good for a Taiga bird (F. columbarius columbarius)
Edit: I don't have Wheeler to check, but the bird doesn't look light enough for a Prairie, imo. I believe columbarius should be the expected subspecies in the east, even during winter.
That's what I thought too. I saw my first merlin yesterday at Peter's Canyon. I wasn't looking for it (had given up in the other location and didn't expect to see it there). I ask because the merlin I saw appears very much like this one, Taiga.
New Birder January 1, 2013
Life list: 176
Swainson's thrush, Red-throated loon, Clapper rail, Warbling vireo, Gray flycatcher, MacGullivray's warbler, Western wood-pewee, Reddish egret, Least tern, California gnatcatcher, Peregrine falcon, Black skimmer, Long-billed curlew, Semipalmated plover, Dunlin, Black-bellied plover, Red-breasted merganser, Cliff swallow, Great horned owl, Blue grosbeak, Yellow-breasted chat, Bell's vireo, Lazuli bunting, Black-chinned hummingbird, Green heron, Nashville warbler, Townsend's warbler, Black-throated gray warbler, Ross's goose, Horned grebe, Marbled godwit, Forester's tern, Brant, Western tanager, Bullock's oriole, Yellow warbler, Barn swallow, Brewer's blackbird, Brown-headed cowbird, Ash-throated flycatcher, Ruby-crowned kinglet, Black-headed grosbeak, Willet, California gull, Western gull, Ring-billed gull, Heermann's gull, Brown pelican, Red-throated loon, Royal tern, Elegant tern, Least sandpiper, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Redhead duck, Greater scaup, Western sandpiper, Least bittern, White-faced ibis, Blue-winged teal, Greater white-fronted goose, Golden eagle, Zone-tailed hawk, Rufous-crowned sparrow, Sharp-shinned hawk, Common ground-dove, Black-throated green warbler (continuing bird), Wilson's warbler, Common yellowthroat, House wren, Chipping sparrow, Hooded oriole, House sparrow, Song sparrow, Cactus wren, Western kingbird, Red-breasted sapsucker, Downey woodpecker, Bullock's oriole, Common poorwill, American robin, Cooper's hawk, Dowitcher sp., Red-winged blackbird, Greater yellowlegs, Common gallinule, Gadwell, Black-neck stilt, Cinnamon teal, American avocet, Cassin's kingbird, Lark sparrow, Killdeer, Pine siskin, Spotted sandpiper, Egyptian goose, Northern shoveler, Hooded merganser, Canada goose, American goldfinch, Lesser scaup
Having a blast!
Life list: 176
Swainson's thrush, Red-throated loon, Clapper rail, Warbling vireo, Gray flycatcher, MacGullivray's warbler, Western wood-pewee, Reddish egret, Least tern, California gnatcatcher, Peregrine falcon, Black skimmer, Long-billed curlew, Semipalmated plover, Dunlin, Black-bellied plover, Red-breasted merganser, Cliff swallow, Great horned owl, Blue grosbeak, Yellow-breasted chat, Bell's vireo, Lazuli bunting, Black-chinned hummingbird, Green heron, Nashville warbler, Townsend's warbler, Black-throated gray warbler, Ross's goose, Horned grebe, Marbled godwit, Forester's tern, Brant, Western tanager, Bullock's oriole, Yellow warbler, Barn swallow, Brewer's blackbird, Brown-headed cowbird, Ash-throated flycatcher, Ruby-crowned kinglet, Black-headed grosbeak, Willet, California gull, Western gull, Ring-billed gull, Heermann's gull, Brown pelican, Red-throated loon, Royal tern, Elegant tern, Least sandpiper, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Redhead duck, Greater scaup, Western sandpiper, Least bittern, White-faced ibis, Blue-winged teal, Greater white-fronted goose, Golden eagle, Zone-tailed hawk, Rufous-crowned sparrow, Sharp-shinned hawk, Common ground-dove, Black-throated green warbler (continuing bird), Wilson's warbler, Common yellowthroat, House wren, Chipping sparrow, Hooded oriole, House sparrow, Song sparrow, Cactus wren, Western kingbird, Red-breasted sapsucker, Downey woodpecker, Bullock's oriole, Common poorwill, American robin, Cooper's hawk, Dowitcher sp., Red-winged blackbird, Greater yellowlegs, Common gallinule, Gadwell, Black-neck stilt, Cinnamon teal, American avocet, Cassin's kingbird, Lark sparrow, Killdeer, Pine siskin, Spotted sandpiper, Egyptian goose, Northern shoveler, Hooded merganser, Canada goose, American goldfinch, Lesser scaup
Having a blast!
#18
TheBillyPilgrim
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Frank
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Posted 31 January 2013 - 12:44 AM
That's what I thought too. I saw my first merlin yesterday at Peter's Canyon. I wasn't looking for it (had given up in the other location and didn't expect to see it there). I ask because the merlin I saw appears very much like this one, Taiga.
A west coast birder might be able to speak to this better, but ebird shows Taiga as the most frequently reported species in SoCal during the winter. The Black subspecies is usually resident further north and Prairies seem to be considerably less common.
Life List: 560
Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
My Flickr
eBird
Costa Rica Trip Report: http://www.whatbird....rt/#entry396425
Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
My Flickr
eBird
Costa Rica Trip Report: http://www.whatbird....rt/#entry396425
#19
cany
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Posted 31 January 2013 - 02:10 AM
A west coast birder might be able to speak to this better, but ebird shows Taiga as the most frequently reported species in SoCal during the winter. The Black subspecies is usually resident further north and Prairies seem to be considerably less common.
I just checked, and the areas around me, which is where I found the merlin, do show that.
I have a question: any idea of the evolutionary advantage to a female being larger than a male? I read this (Wheeler/Clark) is the case in merlins, and I am just curious why.
New Birder January 1, 2013
Life list: 176
Swainson's thrush, Red-throated loon, Clapper rail, Warbling vireo, Gray flycatcher, MacGullivray's warbler, Western wood-pewee, Reddish egret, Least tern, California gnatcatcher, Peregrine falcon, Black skimmer, Long-billed curlew, Semipalmated plover, Dunlin, Black-bellied plover, Red-breasted merganser, Cliff swallow, Great horned owl, Blue grosbeak, Yellow-breasted chat, Bell's vireo, Lazuli bunting, Black-chinned hummingbird, Green heron, Nashville warbler, Townsend's warbler, Black-throated gray warbler, Ross's goose, Horned grebe, Marbled godwit, Forester's tern, Brant, Western tanager, Bullock's oriole, Yellow warbler, Barn swallow, Brewer's blackbird, Brown-headed cowbird, Ash-throated flycatcher, Ruby-crowned kinglet, Black-headed grosbeak, Willet, California gull, Western gull, Ring-billed gull, Heermann's gull, Brown pelican, Red-throated loon, Royal tern, Elegant tern, Least sandpiper, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Redhead duck, Greater scaup, Western sandpiper, Least bittern, White-faced ibis, Blue-winged teal, Greater white-fronted goose, Golden eagle, Zone-tailed hawk, Rufous-crowned sparrow, Sharp-shinned hawk, Common ground-dove, Black-throated green warbler (continuing bird), Wilson's warbler, Common yellowthroat, House wren, Chipping sparrow, Hooded oriole, House sparrow, Song sparrow, Cactus wren, Western kingbird, Red-breasted sapsucker, Downey woodpecker, Bullock's oriole, Common poorwill, American robin, Cooper's hawk, Dowitcher sp., Red-winged blackbird, Greater yellowlegs, Common gallinule, Gadwell, Black-neck stilt, Cinnamon teal, American avocet, Cassin's kingbird, Lark sparrow, Killdeer, Pine siskin, Spotted sandpiper, Egyptian goose, Northern shoveler, Hooded merganser, Canada goose, American goldfinch, Lesser scaup
Having a blast!
Life list: 176
Swainson's thrush, Red-throated loon, Clapper rail, Warbling vireo, Gray flycatcher, MacGullivray's warbler, Western wood-pewee, Reddish egret, Least tern, California gnatcatcher, Peregrine falcon, Black skimmer, Long-billed curlew, Semipalmated plover, Dunlin, Black-bellied plover, Red-breasted merganser, Cliff swallow, Great horned owl, Blue grosbeak, Yellow-breasted chat, Bell's vireo, Lazuli bunting, Black-chinned hummingbird, Green heron, Nashville warbler, Townsend's warbler, Black-throated gray warbler, Ross's goose, Horned grebe, Marbled godwit, Forester's tern, Brant, Western tanager, Bullock's oriole, Yellow warbler, Barn swallow, Brewer's blackbird, Brown-headed cowbird, Ash-throated flycatcher, Ruby-crowned kinglet, Black-headed grosbeak, Willet, California gull, Western gull, Ring-billed gull, Heermann's gull, Brown pelican, Red-throated loon, Royal tern, Elegant tern, Least sandpiper, Sanderling, Whimbrel, Redhead duck, Greater scaup, Western sandpiper, Least bittern, White-faced ibis, Blue-winged teal, Greater white-fronted goose, Golden eagle, Zone-tailed hawk, Rufous-crowned sparrow, Sharp-shinned hawk, Common ground-dove, Black-throated green warbler (continuing bird), Wilson's warbler, Common yellowthroat, House wren, Chipping sparrow, Hooded oriole, House sparrow, Song sparrow, Cactus wren, Western kingbird, Red-breasted sapsucker, Downey woodpecker, Bullock's oriole, Common poorwill, American robin, Cooper's hawk, Dowitcher sp., Red-winged blackbird, Greater yellowlegs, Common gallinule, Gadwell, Black-neck stilt, Cinnamon teal, American avocet, Cassin's kingbird, Lark sparrow, Killdeer, Pine siskin, Spotted sandpiper, Egyptian goose, Northern shoveler, Hooded merganser, Canada goose, American goldfinch, Lesser scaup
Having a blast!
#20
TheBillyPilgrim
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Frank
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Posted 31 January 2013 - 02:16 AM
I just checked, and the areas around me, which is where I found the merlin, do show that.
I have a question: any idea of the evolutionary advantage to a female being larger than a male? I read this (Wheeler/Clark) is the case in merlins, and I am just curious why.
Pretty good summary:http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Size_and_Sex.html
(Spoiler Alert: No one is sure
)
Life List: 560
Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
My Flickr
eBird
Costa Rica Trip Report: http://www.whatbird....rt/#entry396425
Latest birds: Purple Sandpiper, Ross's Goose, White-winged Crossbill,
2013: 362 species
My Flickr
eBird
Costa Rica Trip Report: http://www.whatbird....rt/#entry396425
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