If you are interested in some pictures of the Kestrel at Chagrin River Park check-out this link http://adamvalencic.com/uploads/10262008/ to some pictures my son took there yesterday, October 26. Regarding the Snow Buntings at Headlands Beach (reported a few days ago) he took some nice pictures on Saturday, both in-flight and on the ground http://adamvalencic.com/uploads/10252008/. A most interesting thing for me was to watch the buntings flying close together like a flock of 'peeps' along the waterline! They would pick-up and fly farther down the beach when we got too close. Before Saturday my only experience was to see them in plowed fields in the winter mixed with Horned Larks and Longspur's. Matt Valencic Chagrin Falls, OH -----Original Message----- From: Ohio birds [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Blake Andrews Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 11:34 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [Ohio-birds] American Kestrels and Merlins-Northeast Ohio We observed an American Kestrel at the Chagrin River Reservation in Willoughby (Lake County) on October 24 and 25. It uses the power tower closest to the river as its perch while searching for food. We watched as it fluttered in a suspended flight pattern above the ground looking for food, it would dive and soar back up in the air. Also lots of bluebirds and yellow rumps in this location too. Also, we spotted the Merlins high in flight over Calvary Cemetery on October 26. My grandparents are buried there and we took a trip out there to clean their grave and hopefully find the Merlins. We spotted one of the Merlins in Section 5. There was a red tailed hawk flying above too and the Merlin took a jab at the hawk and then took off flying at a very high rate of speed. Our final observation was two Merlins flying side by side together out over the residential area. ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask] ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]