Reports continue of at least one merlin observed repeatedly in or near 
Union Cemetery in Columbus. Peterjohn in his 'Birds of Ohio' gives the 
earliest historical appearance of fall migrant merlins as 8/23/1942 (p. 
132), whereas one to three have regularly appeared in recent years in 
Columbus earlier than that, such as the merlin observed here on 
7/24/2015 eleven days ago.
        Peterjohn (p. 133) went on to say there were no indisputable nesting 
records for Ohio; since then, the new Breeding Bird Atlas found two, and 
there has been at least one other. He mentioned the recent sharp rise in 
the number of wintering merlins in the state.
        We have yearly records of wintering merlins here in our two large 
cemeteries since at least 2008, and cemeteries in Cleveland and 
Cincinnati have similar records. The most recent Ohio Cardinal had 
records from 39 Ohio counties last winter, including three in Union 
Cemetery. There are speculations that this species may have already 
nested here, or at least may do so in the future. Union Cemetery is only 
a bit smaller than Greenlawn, but is far less often visited by birders, 
despite its riverside location and neighboring Buckeye Swamp. Below is 
the entry on this species from my work on central Ohio birds:

Merlin  Falco columbarius.  A rare-uncommon migrant.  In 1838, Kirtland 
(178) wrote of this species: “rare, but may be seen early in autumn 
following the flocks of birds that are gathering for their migrations,” 
and Wheaton (1882:579) called it “far from common” in the vicinity of 
Columbus, offering a winter record from as late as 2/19/1873.  Jasper 
collected a female on 9/25/1901, which has become a mount at OSUM (#53). 
  Much later it suffered to a lesser degree than the peregrine falcon 
from certain organochlorides in the environment, and its numbers have 
recovered without artificial introductions, perhaps in part because it 
less often preys on fish-eating birds, including more small mammals and 
insects in its diet.  One state-record early fall migrant on 
8/10-9/30/2004 (OC 28(1):8) near Union Cemetery may have been the same 
that returned to winter there in subsequent years; three were present 
there in the winter of 2014-5 (OC 38(2):66). Another eclipsed that 
record in 2008 by showing up at Pickerington Ponds on 8/8 (NAB 
63(1):77).  Hicks reported five here 8/20-26/1932 (BL 34(6):402).  Since 
then, one regularly seen along High St. in Clintonville beginning on 
7/24/2015 may have been part of a nesting pair (fide J. Simonis and 
others).  As elsewhere, evidently increasing as a winter resident over 
the past thirty years, especially in or near mature conifer plantings, 
with a maximum up to three wintering at Green Lawn Cemetery 2006-07 (OC 
30(2):55) and on 2/26/2015 (OC 38(2):66), and six widely reported at 
five locations in the winter of 2009-10.  An apparent early spring 
migrant had appeared 3/8/1981 (OC 4(1):21).  With recent confirmations 
as a very rare breeder in the state in the modern era, it is a potential 
urban nester here in times to come, having adopted such settings 
elsewhere in recent decades (preliminary findings of the second Breeding 
Bird Atlas).  Local specimen OSUM #53 from 9/25/1901.

Bill Whan
Columbus

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