[Tweeters] Tweeters] Wednesday Walk at Billy Frank Jr Nisqually NWR

[Robert O'Brien]

I've seen exactly the situation multiple times. A couple memorable ones
were: two crows versus a Merlin in South Florida. It's hard to know which
was the aggressor here, they took turns. Initially the crows were diving at
the Merlin which retaliated. This went on for about 10 minutes before the
Merlin moved on. A migrant heading south  likely over the Gulf. The crows
residents. Another time it was a Raven versus a Peregrine in the Hills
above Alviso California. Once again they switched places first The Raven
going after the Peregrine then the reverse. Back and forth back and forth.
Both of them masters of the air. Bob O'Brien Portland

On Friday, September 8, 2023, Michael Price <loblollyboy at gmail.com> wrote:


> Hi tweets,

>

> Shep Thorpe writes: We had nice looks of a MERLIN

> unsuccessfully chasing swallows.

>

> Maybe not unsuccessful. One time in September, Mike Force and I were at

> Jericho Park on the west side of Vancouver BC's West side. There was a tall

> long-dead cottonwood snag on its south side containing a Merlin and an

> American Kestrel. For the next half-hour several times we witnessed these

> two suddenly start chasing each other. First, Merlin  chasing Kestrel,

> return to the snag, rest, then Kestrel chased Merlin, return to snag, rest,

> a few minutes, rinse and repeat, the two of them alternating the

> chaser/chased roles at least three times. Tell me that's not play.

>

> Jericho is longer east-west than wide north-south, about a kilometer and a

> half long. An unwitting Cliff Swallow (remember Cliff Swallows?) entered

> the park at the eastern end. The Merlin immediately rocketed off to

> intercept it. People, we then witnessed that Merlin literally toying with

> the terrified swallow *the entire length *of Jericho Park before *allowing

> it to go its way and returning to the snag.* At any moment that swallow's

> life was forfeit to the the little falcon: it could have easily slain the

> swallow at any point. I've seen that. But it *didn't*. Tell me that's not

> play.

>

> Many years later, I watched a Merlin and two crows similarly taking

> alternating turns chasing, with at least *four* iterations. Both parties

> could have left at any point, but didn't. Tell me that's not play.

>

> So, Shep, it may be less a case of an incompetent Merlin than one of a

> Merlin simply mucking about ('mookin abaht', as me old Lancashire gaffer

> would have said) in its just-screwing-around rough humor.

>

> best, m

>

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