[Tweeters] Fwd & IMPORTANT EDIT: Merlin capturing a Bushtit

[flick at gorge.net]

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
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