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 ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]