Post by bandj on Dec 2, 2011 20:16:20 GMT -8
Hi Birding Friends,
There's a female Merlin in our neighbourhood who has a favourite sundown vantage point. Every evening she flies to the tip top of a tall narrow cedar tree where she has a 360 degree view of the surrounding land and the wide bowl of sky. While Juncoes click warning sounds, she preens and slowly turns around on her perch always staring intently about before she resumes work on her feathers.
On clear evenings she can take in a vivid deepening sunset to the southwest and the alpenglow on the snowy North Shore Mountains. Of late she can watch the dark side of the moon begin to show, or Venus slowly brightening, and even a line of tiny moons stringing out from Jupiter. But always before full dark, she swoops into a much thicker cedar tree where we assume she roosts overnight.
Surprising to us, within a minute of her departure, Juncoes dart straight into the tree she just vacated! How comforting a sleep spot is that? Do they spend the night like this
?
The Juncoes aren't the only brave neighbours. Flickers are regulars too.
After taking a picture of one in a nearby tree, Bryan set up his camera to take a picture of the "Merlin" only to discover when he looked at his camera screen that he'd taken a snap of another Flicker! The Merlin hadn't yet arrived.
Soon after though, she did appear. Distracted by a small bird in yet another nearby tree, we missed the Flicker relinquishing its seat.
I guess these avian neighbours are pretty sure they know each other's routines. I'm not so sure I'd want to sleep or sightsee near a Merlin if I were a junco or woodpecker!
Janet and Bryan
There's a female Merlin in our neighbourhood who has a favourite sundown vantage point. Every evening she flies to the tip top of a tall narrow cedar tree where she has a 360 degree view of the surrounding land and the wide bowl of sky. While Juncoes click warning sounds, she preens and slowly turns around on her perch always staring intently about before she resumes work on her feathers.
On clear evenings she can take in a vivid deepening sunset to the southwest and the alpenglow on the snowy North Shore Mountains. Of late she can watch the dark side of the moon begin to show, or Venus slowly brightening, and even a line of tiny moons stringing out from Jupiter. But always before full dark, she swoops into a much thicker cedar tree where we assume she roosts overnight.
Surprising to us, within a minute of her departure, Juncoes dart straight into the tree she just vacated! How comforting a sleep spot is that? Do they spend the night like this
? The Juncoes aren't the only brave neighbours. Flickers are regulars too.
After taking a picture of one in a nearby tree, Bryan set up his camera to take a picture of the "Merlin" only to discover when he looked at his camera screen that he'd taken a snap of another Flicker! The Merlin hadn't yet arrived.
Soon after though, she did appear. Distracted by a small bird in yet another nearby tree, we missed the Flicker relinquishing its seat.
I guess these avian neighbours are pretty sure they know each other's routines. I'm not so sure I'd want to sleep or sightsee near a Merlin if I were a junco or woodpecker!
Janet and Bryan
