Hi Tweets,

Jim Lyles writes:

>Is it a tad early for urban Merlins?

No sir. A couple-three pairs even nest here in Vancouver BC. Noisy little
tykes, too.

>Merlins regularly winter in my north Tacoma neighborhood,
>but they usually show up in October.

And your wintering Merlins will likely stick pretty much to that timetable.
The first southbound *migrant* Merlins actually show up in mid-July, just
about the same time as the first juvenile shorebirds, with the first
southbound Peregrines about a week later (and they're usually juveniles,
too). My hunch is that none of this is coincidental timing.

>So is this morning's Merlin jumping the gun a little?

I'd think its timing's about right for a migrant, Jim.


Michael Price The Sleep of Reason Gives Birth to Monsters
Vancouver BC Canada -Goya
mprice at mindlink.net