Merlin now seen almost daily ~ December 30, 2019

The Merlin has now become an almost daily occurrence up at the top of the neighbor's tree. I've tried many times to get a flight shot of it, but it's either too quick or it ends up sitting there for over an hour until I finally give up waiting for it to take off after prey. Today in the nasty rain and wind, I got these blurry photos of it.

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Merlin Is Back Again ~ December 17, 2019

I peered up at the top of the neighbor's tree around noon on this icy day and the Merlin was there again. I saw it take off two times and come back empty-footed both times. Curiously, I checked back through my records and found a Merlin sighting on each of the following dates:
April 24, 2015
September 30, 2016
August 31, 2018
November 30, 2018
December 8, 16, and 17, 2019.

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Another Merlin from the Backyard! ~ December 16, 2019

As the leading edge of a storm approached the area, I looked up at the top of the neighbor's tree and realized that a Merlin, possibly the same one seen a week ago, was perched there. I slowly walked outside and took some photos of it in the drizzle. It was there for about an hour before taking off.

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Fifth Backyard Merlin Sighting! ~ December 8, 2019

Late Sunday afternoon as daylight waned, I noticed a silhouetted bird perched near the top of one of the neighbor's trees that appeared to be either a Kestrel or Merlin. I grabbed my binoculars and camera and went outside. A better look with binoculars confirmed that it was a Merlin. This makes the fifth, yes fifth, Merlin sighting from my yard. They have definitely seemed to increase in numbers compared with back in the 1970's when they were one of the least recorded raptors at Hawk Mountain. I snapped a photo of it in the dim light.

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