ML642740816

Dettagli dell'osservazione

Observed taking on a bunch of crows -- initially -- nine (then later as many as 17) for the right to perch in a tall, isolated tree. I saw the merlin perch ostentatiously on a high branch of the tree -- in the midst of the crows. A crow would see the merlin off, but it would keep coming back, and it would attack the crows. I saw it gain altitude over one crow and then go into a stoop at it. After much to-ing and fro-ing over about a half an hour, the crows abandoned the tree and the merlin perched unmolested. It subsequently flew off. Still later I saw it come out of nowhere and scatter a bunch of dark-eyed juncos. It missed, but pursued other birds along the ground before perching again in another tree. It was lightly coloured on the breast with brown flecks, had light coloured eyebrows, long, thin, fairly dark tail with dark bands separated by thin, light lines. Long, pointed wings -- head close to body. The photos added are terrible, but document the merlin's victory over the crows: the merlin has the tree to itself.