A Merlin has been perched on a snag at the swan pen (the westernmost snag hanging over the water) for at least an hour preening and being cooperative.
When I got to the swan pen earlier the willow by the boat house was abuzz with activity (yellow rumps, both kinglets, a mockingbird, 40+ waxwings), then a small blue-backed raptor swooped in from nowhere and snatched away a small bird. It went by so quickly I couldn't ID it at the time, but later I found (presumably) the merlin on the snag, preening but not feeding (anymore?). Junior BC night heron continues to sit like a statue. Only 1m 3f wood ducks at the lagoon, with a bit of fall color backdrop for photographs if you're patient and lucky. Suan -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
