Michael Price recalls Pete's Dunne's quip that "a Merlin's
territory can be inferred to be wherever it finds itself."

My own north Tacoma neighborhood always hosts a wintering
Merlin or two. But the one I remember most was the Merlin
four or five years ago that liked to perch on the peak of
St. Patrick's Church nearby. One day as 7 or 8 gulls were
loafing on the roof, the Merlin came whooshing in for a landing,
surveyed the gull-littered, then turned a wide circle, picked
up speed, and strafed the line of gulls. The gulls scattered.
And the Merlin settled on his usual place on the roof. This
Merlin had an attitude.

Cheers, Jim Lyles



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Jim Lyles jrlyles at eskimo.com
Tacoma, WA <Editing isn't pretty.> jrlyles at usgs.gov