Hi all,
Saturday I took a short walk to Spencer Island. I watched a Merlin
for about 20 minutes as it sat in the snag North of the Barn. This bird
appears to be fairly large and quite brown and I am assuming it is a
female. I had seen, what I believe to be the same bird on Thursday when
I had gone for a walk on the Island. At that time it was along the
gravel road approaching the bridge. It was harrassing four crows. The
Merlin would fly away for a minute or two and then return to attacking
the crows. The crows were not attempting to chase the Merlin as I have
seen them do to other raptors. The Merlin finally flew away from the
scene and the crows were still sitting in the same tree they had started
in.
On Saturday I found the Merlin in the snag and it was having lunch. I
watched it through my scope and watched it devour what I think was a
Robin. First it plucked feathers off its prey and then it tore into the
flesh. It discarded something long and stringy which I thought may have
been intestines. I was surprised as it tore off the legs and swallowed
them whole with the feet disappearing last. I wonder how long this bird
will hang around in the area as it seems that Jack Stephens may have
seen the same bird today.

Also on Saturday I saw on the Island a possible White-throated
Sparrow. This appeared to be an immature bird which looked similar to
an immature White-crowned Sparrow but the head pattern was more streaked
although similar in color. I saw some yellow on the lores but was
unable to see the complete front of the bird and thus the white throat.
Other sparrows seen were Song Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, numerous
Lincoln Sparrows, White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows. The
possible White-throated Sparrow was located North of the bridge before
reaching the State Refuge Boundary and on the West side of the trail.
It flew across the slough and although I walked the bike path on the
opposite side of the slough I could not relocate it.

Just as a reminder, hunting season opens this coming weekend. This
past Saturday was a youth hunting day and I ran into a young man and his
father. They had bagged a female Redhead.

Yvonne Bombardier
Everett, Wa