A while ago, about 2:45 PM, I was returning from a trip to our bank. As I
turned into and drove up the driveway I got a brief but thrilling view of a
merlin swooping past our main bird feeder and swiftly charging just over my
car. Unmistakeable, with the bold belly streaking, falcon wings and tail,
and a beautiful dark purplish gray back. I saw it for all of two or three
seconds as it disappeared across the road to the west, but it was a
bird-event I think will long remember. It did not appear that it had caught
anything, so perhaps it will return. The merlin is welcome to as many house
sparrows or starlings as it wants. The merlin makes yard-bird number 134
for Valhalla Acres Fiber Farm. (since July 2000 when we moved here)

Previously, my only Muskingum County merlin was one I saw near The Wilds in
the winter of 2005.

We have had a Cooper's hawk hanging out around watching our feeders for a
few weeks now. I saw another (or the same) Cooper's calling in the woods
during yesterday morning's walk in the snow. This winter we have also had
regularly calling red-shouldered hawks, and an occasional red-tail soaring
over the hilltop.

Turkey vultures have been seen occasionally all winter.

For the record, I saw my first killdeer of the season back on the morning
of February 1st, flying and calling over our fields.

I haven't seen any red-winged blackbirds yet, but I am keeping my eyes and
ears open for their arrival during this unseasonably warm winter.

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