TWEETERS EDITOR: Can you please replace my previous, original email post with this post and add into Tweeters for July 15, 2022?

I edited (below) the original post 'slightly' because I purposely brought a bird specialist & friend along with me on the three MERLIN follow-up visits to confirm my ID of prey birds and target MERLIN species.

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July 14, 2022


Hi Michelle,


I visually encountered a MERLIN adult female 'alarm calling' while conducting a Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) Route in WA - June, 2010.

I did three JULY follow-ups post-BBS to determine reproduction. I brought along my friend and bird specialist, Stuart Johnston, to confirm my ID calls because I knew most Tweeters did not know me from Eve.

On one of these three visits, a MERLIN adult brought back an immature Rufous hummingbird & also a Pine Siskin on the same morning (co-partner friend & bird specialist, Stuart Johnston, confirmed my bird prey IDs & target MERLIN ID).
It perched with a prey item in its bill waiting for a food-transfer to its partner, who flew by, captured the prey with its talons from its partner's bill, and then flew to the nest to feed nestlings (heard only by Stuart & myself).

Sooo, what I am suggesting with the described experience is that you may have also witnessed an adult MERLIN capturing a Bushtit to feed to its nestlings.


CJ FLICK
White Salmon, WA
flick at gorge.net


---- OriginalMessage ----
From: flick at gorge.net
To: asmalllife at gmail.com
CC: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Sent: Thu, Jul 14, 2022, 04:39 PM
Subject: Merlin capturing a Bushtit

July 14, 2022


Hi Michelle,


I visually encountered a MERLIN adult female 'alarm calling' while conducting a Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) Route in WA - June, 2010.

I did three JULY follow-ups post-BBS to determine reproduction.

On one of these three visits, a MERLIN adult brought back an immature (most likely Rufous for this specific area) hummingbird & also a Pine Siskin on the same morning, perched with each prey in its bill to wait for a food-transfer to its partner, who flew by, captured the prey with its talons from its partner's bill, and then flew to the nest to feed nestlings (heard only).

Sooo, what I am suggesting with this described experience is that you may have also witnessed an adult MERLIN capturing a Bushtit to feed to its nestlings.


CJ FLICK
White Salmon, WA