[Tweeters] Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR

[Steve Hampton]

Last summer Merlins nested near my house (Port Townsend). One day I managed
this two-minute audio of the interchange between the pair and several
crows. Either the Merlin fledge was leaving the nest for the first time or
an eagle was nearby. I couldn't see exactly, but the audio was great.

https://ebird.org/checklist/S91440719




On Fri, Sep 8, 2023 at 2:28 AM Robert O'Brien <baro at pdx.edu> wrote:


> I've seen exactly the situation multiple times. A couple memorable ones

> were: two crows versus a Merlin in South Florida. It's hard to know which

> was the aggressor here, they took turns. Initially the crows were diving at

> the Merlin which retaliated. This went on for about 10 minutes before the

> Merlin moved on. A migrant heading south  likely over the Gulf. The crows

> residents. Another time it was a Raven versus a Peregrine in the Hills

> above Alviso California. Once again they switched places first The Raven

> going after the Peregrine then the reverse. Back and forth back and forth.

> Both of them masters of the air. Bob O'Brien Portland

>

> On Friday, September 8, 2023, Michael Price <loblollyboy at gmail.com> wrote:

>

>> Hi tweets,

>>

>> Shep Thorpe writes: We had nice looks of a MERLIN

>> unsuccessfully chasing swallows.

>>

>> Maybe not unsuccessful. One time in September, Mike Force and I were at

>> Jericho Park on the west side of Vancouver BC's West side. There was a tall

>> long-dead cottonwood snag on its south side containing a Merlin and an

>> American Kestrel. For the next half-hour several times we witnessed these

>> two suddenly start chasing each other. First, Merlin  chasing Kestrel,

>> return to the snag, rest, then Kestrel chased Merlin, return to snag, rest,

>> a few minutes, rinse and repeat, the two of them alternating the

>> chaser/chased roles at least three times. Tell me that's not play.

>>

>> Jericho is longer east-west than wide north-south, about a kilometer and

>> a half long. An unwitting Cliff Swallow (remember Cliff Swallows?) entered

>> the park at the eastern end. The Merlin immediately rocketed off to

>> intercept it. People, we then witnessed that Merlin literally toying with

>> the terrified swallow *the entire length *of Jericho Park before *allowing

>> it to go its way and returning to the snag.* At any moment that

>> swallow's life was forfeit to the the little falcon: it could have easily

>> slain the swallow at any point. I've seen that. But it *didn't*. Tell me

>> that's not play.

>>

>> Many years later, I watched a Merlin and two crows similarly taking

>> alternating turns chasing, with at least *four* iterations. Both parties

>> could have left at any point, but didn't. Tell me that's not play.

>>

>> So, Shep, it may be less a case of an incompetent Merlin than one of a

>> Merlin simply mucking about ('mookin abaht', as me old Lancashire gaffer

>> would have said) in its just-screwing-around rough humor.

>>

>> best, m

>>

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-- 
​Steve Hampton​
Port Townsend, WA  (qatáy)
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