Hello Tweets,

Although I've seen merlins here and there in Seattle, I haven't happened upon one in West Seattle until yesterday, when I spent a beautiful sunny afternoon following one around the north end of Lincoln Park. (At first I thought it might be a Peregrine, but better birders ID'd it as a merlin.)

It posed for me in full sun at the top of a tree often used by Bald Eagles. The eagles' calling in the distance didn't seem to bother the merlin, but the occasional gently-harassing crow sure did - it just took a couple of swoops to dislodge the merlin from each of its various perches.

Photos at Flickr.com/photos/trileigh.

Good birding to all,
Trileigh

Trileigh Tucker
Lincoln Park, West Seattle
Natural history blog: Naturalpresence.wordpress.com
Photography: Flickr.com/photos/trileigh