Today (Sat, 12/21/02) I didn't find the BEAN GOOSE at Bowerman Basin.
Although I heard the SWAMP SPARROW on the Sandpiper Trail Loop, I didn't see
it either.

The consolation prize was "The Merlin Show".

Late this afternoon, while looking for the Swamp Sparrow at the end of
Sandpiper Trail, I noticed a Merlin high in the sky in the distance to the
east, but still over Bowerman Basin. It stooped on a Dunlin that had become
separated from a large flock; it missed. The Dunlin gained altitude and
the Merlin stooped again. Another miss. I counted 10 dramatic misses by a
very serious Merlin. This was not the half-hearted hunting I have witnessed
on occasion by young Peregrines. This Merlin meant business. But each
time, the Dunlin managed to avoid the talons. More impressive than the high
speed dive of the Merlin was the way it flew with such speed straight
upward. Incredible!

But no dinner. The Merlin gave up and perched. After viewing the Merlin at
rest for awhile, I returned to the Swamp Sparrow search. A few minutes
later the Merlin (I assume the same bird) zoomed by me at eye level and
perched on a nearby snag to the west of me. I put the scope on the bird at
60X and it nearly filled the frame. The well defined supercilium and malar
were easy to see as was the barred tail. The Merlin watched me and the
shoreline. It seemed that the Merlin was going to wait for its prey to come
to it this time.

I watched for a few minutes when all at once the bird seemed to shrink in
size. Then the feathers rebounded only to be compressed again as the Merlin
became noticeably smaller and compact, with no ragged edges on its body. I
had never seen this before, so I paid close attention. Suddenly this falcon
bolted from its perch. I quickly switched from 60X scope to 10X binos and
caught up just before the Merlin seized a Dunlin in flight, head on, not 50
feet from the perch. The Dunlin's wings were outstretched and the little
shorebird shrieked. Then all was silent. The successful hunter reversed
direction and flew by me to the west. I watched to see if it would feast on
the fly as I have seen falcons do before or if it would perch and pluck.
The Merlin stayed low and disappeared from sight.

I had forgotten about the Bean Goose and the Swamp Sparrow.

It was a good day.

Marv Breece
Seattle, WA