Subject: [Tweeters] North Seattle Merlin Sightings
Date: Feb 25 13:29:25 2010
From: Barbara Deihl - barbdeihl at comcast.net


Hi Tweets!

Now that the breeding season has started up for the year, I and the
folks in North Seattle who have enjoyed watching nesting Merlins in
the Northgate area, are again listening and watching for signs that a
pair (or maybe more) are looking "for real estate" (to quote a Merlin
fan). We welcome reports of sightings or 'soundings', particularly
from the northend of Seattle. I have been getting quite a few in the
past couple of weeks and, indications are that some Merlins are in the
throes of courtship. Most recently some Merlin fans have heard at
least one pair calling back and forth with some of their
characteristic loud calls (mostly solicitation calls), around an area
from 15th Ave. NE east to 25th NE and from Thornton Creek north to NE
125th St. This is a good area for walking/dog-walking, so, if you are
walking or cruising in the area and spot a Merlin or 2, we'd love to
know. And, I will be sharing more specific information with
interested individuals and organizations as nest sites are confirmed
and being monitored by residents. I will not disclose publicly the
exact location of any nest sites, either on this list-serv or through
any other public means, but, if you contact me I will at least cue you
in to some coordinates. We must respect the safety of the birds and
the privacy of the residents 'hosting' them.

You can find out more if you attend the Tree Meeting at Meadowbrook
Community Center on March 11 at 7 p.m.

Please contact me with any sightings or questions or suggestions. My
unofficial job title these days is Neighborhood Merlin Liaison - it's
a wonderfully gratifying volunteer job! My contact email is in this
post. A phone number at which you can reach me is 206-525-7644.

If you spot a banded Merlin, please report it as requested by Jack
Bettesworth on the following website: www.wos.org/research. I, too
would appreciate hearing from you about any banded birds you see, for
our 'citizen science' mission.

Happy Merlinning!

Barb Deihl

North Matthews Beach - Seattle

barbdeihl at comcast.net