I'll never forget when I encountered a pair of Merlins copulating. That's how they roll in Indiana. Seriously though, thanks for this breakdown of the subspecies. I've always been impressed by them. Sneakily muscular. Like they want to be a buteo.
James, you're teaching me a more sophisticated love of birds. I put up a feeder full of spicy seeds outside my kitchen window and marvel at the colors, characteristics, and variety of birds. It is meditative and calming. Excellent post as always.
Thank you, Jesse. Enjoy the Least Terns and Osprey.
Hope you have a great time on MV—get some scup from Lobsterville jetty, check out the newly opened Squibnocket Pond reservation. Be mindful of the ticks, a hunter friend of mine who works outside there just got alpha gal from a Lone Star tick, as I’ve had for many years from a tick bite I also got there. Now we share stories about eating tofu. It’d be a travesty for a hunter like you to acquire that meat allergy. Permethrin and tick checks.
Damn, I just read an MV Gazette article about the ticks. Lone Star stuff seems like a new frontier in the tick battle. I definitely don’t want alpha gal.
Alpha gal can sometimes go away in a year but I have only known one guy that happened for and I’ve had it for like 8. Just be safe out there, it’s a big lifestyle change if a Lone Star bites you.
Sorry about the anaplasmosis. Do you know what kind of tick gave you that? Aside from alpha gal I think the Lone Stars might carry it, and they're an increasing concern in more and more places.
Something absolutely needs to be done on MV. I’ve spent a lot of time on that island so ticks are always on my mind when I'm outside, but on Monhegan tick density is very low because there aren’t any deer. They were removed late 90s. Didn’t find a single tick on me, hiking around in a way that would’ve led to no shortage on MV.
Obviously it's easier to remove the deer from a tiny island like Monhegan than it is to remove them from MV's 100ish square miles, but something needs to be done.
Yes, I agree. I saw impressive deer there during daylight hours. Large-racked bucks. Very fun to see, but clearly an indication that something is askew. It’s probably good hunting, but I would be concerned about ticks and poison ivy the whole time!
I believe it was a deer tick that got me- I had taken one off and didn’t think anything of it about 4 days prior to symptoms.
Gorgeous Bird! I have never seen one in the wild. Frequent here on the bay are osprey, red tail hawks and Cooper's hawks. Two days ago my neighbors and I spotted two bald eagles dancing around in the up drafts over Santa Cruz! Thrilling. Thanks for all the background on the little Merlin. And, by the way, you look quite elegant in your suit and tie.
Thank you, Erik! They’re pretty much all over the continent in one form or the other—Taiga, Prairie, Black—but I think they’re more in the southeast in winter. They’re also small, so fairly easy to miss!
I like that first and third photos of the Merlins, James. I have only ever seen the Taiga subspecies as we have them here in Ottawa. I will have to keep an eye out for them as they are a beautiful bird to see. I would like to see one hunting someday. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Neil. I have only ever seen Taiga also, had to rely on creative commons for photos of the others. They are so beautiful, it’s thrilling to see them with prey.
Good article. I've not seen a Merlin, but I saw a smaller raptor this weekend that I thought might be a Kestrel. It was too far to tell, but it had white markings under the wings and on the face. Probably a juvenile Cooper's. I was on the bike, so I only had my monocular.
Beautiful photos. I’d love to see a Merlin, they’re VERY rare here.
American Kestrel is up there as one of my favourite ‘birds I’ve yet to see’, so I’d never be disappointed by one of those, either!
When it comes to falcons those two are neck and neck for my favorites! Thank you, Gem.
It seems I have a good chance of seeing a Black Merlin 🤞🏼
I hope you do!
I love falcons! And your photos here are tremendous.
There is a peregrine falcon who hunts on our small lake. Incredible to watch. Maybe one day I’ll see a kestrel or another type.
Ps: another sweet photo of you! Thanks for sharing it
Thank you Teyani! I hope you get to see a kestrel soon.
I'll never forget when I encountered a pair of Merlins copulating. That's how they roll in Indiana. Seriously though, thanks for this breakdown of the subspecies. I've always been impressed by them. Sneakily muscular. Like they want to be a buteo.
Saying they want to be a buteo is so apt. Thank you for reading, Nate.
James, you're teaching me a more sophisticated love of birds. I put up a feeder full of spicy seeds outside my kitchen window and marvel at the colors, characteristics, and variety of birds. It is meditative and calming. Excellent post as always.
Thank you, Sam. The spice in those seeds is key! There is no better way to observe and commune with the natural world.
James- I’m about to get on MV ferry and thinking of you as I see these ocean birds.
Great post, as usual.
Thank you, Jesse. Enjoy the Least Terns and Osprey.
Hope you have a great time on MV—get some scup from Lobsterville jetty, check out the newly opened Squibnocket Pond reservation. Be mindful of the ticks, a hunter friend of mine who works outside there just got alpha gal from a Lone Star tick, as I’ve had for many years from a tick bite I also got there. Now we share stories about eating tofu. It’d be a travesty for a hunter like you to acquire that meat allergy. Permethrin and tick checks.
Damn, I just read an MV Gazette article about the ticks. Lone Star stuff seems like a new frontier in the tick battle. I definitely don’t want alpha gal.
Alpha gal can sometimes go away in a year but I have only known one guy that happened for and I’ve had it for like 8. Just be safe out there, it’s a big lifestyle change if a Lone Star bites you.
Damn, what a bummer. I had anaplasmosis a couple of years back, and that was rough, but luckily not long-term.
It sounds like they need to aggressively reduce the deer herd on the island.
Sorry about the anaplasmosis. Do you know what kind of tick gave you that? Aside from alpha gal I think the Lone Stars might carry it, and they're an increasing concern in more and more places.
Something absolutely needs to be done on MV. I’ve spent a lot of time on that island so ticks are always on my mind when I'm outside, but on Monhegan tick density is very low because there aren’t any deer. They were removed late 90s. Didn’t find a single tick on me, hiking around in a way that would’ve led to no shortage on MV.
Obviously it's easier to remove the deer from a tiny island like Monhegan than it is to remove them from MV's 100ish square miles, but something needs to be done.
Yes, I agree. I saw impressive deer there during daylight hours. Large-racked bucks. Very fun to see, but clearly an indication that something is askew. It’s probably good hunting, but I would be concerned about ticks and poison ivy the whole time!
I believe it was a deer tick that got me- I had taken one off and didn’t think anything of it about 4 days prior to symptoms.
I had not know that about Monhegan.
Yeah the poison ivy is relentless. Definitely worth a trip with the bow to get a nice buck though, it’d make for a wonderful essay for Next Adventure.
Pics of the bird almost looking as good as you do in that suit brother! Haha already looking the part you’re getting ready to go school for 👊🏻
Thank you, Kyle! I took that picture for my LinkedIn so felt strange putting it on Substack, but figured what the hell.
❤️👊🏻
Gorgeous Bird! I have never seen one in the wild. Frequent here on the bay are osprey, red tail hawks and Cooper's hawks. Two days ago my neighbors and I spotted two bald eagles dancing around in the up drafts over Santa Cruz! Thrilling. Thanks for all the background on the little Merlin. And, by the way, you look quite elegant in your suit and tie.
Thank you, Sharron! That eagle encounter sounds thrilling! I hope you get to see a Merlin in the wild soon.
I don’t know much about Merlins. I think we don’t have them here in the Southeast? Fascinating, and really excellent photos!
Thank you, Erik! They’re pretty much all over the continent in one form or the other—Taiga, Prairie, Black—but I think they’re more in the southeast in winter. They’re also small, so fairly easy to miss!
Wow, I’ll have to keep a lookout for them!
I like that first and third photos of the Merlins, James. I have only ever seen the Taiga subspecies as we have them here in Ottawa. I will have to keep an eye out for them as they are a beautiful bird to see. I would like to see one hunting someday. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Neil. I have only ever seen Taiga also, had to rely on creative commons for photos of the others. They are so beautiful, it’s thrilling to see them with prey.
Excellent field guide to the Merlin and American Kestrel with outstanding photography, James. And quite a nice photo of you, too.
Thank you so much Heidi!
Good article. I've not seen a Merlin, but I saw a smaller raptor this weekend that I thought might be a Kestrel. It was too far to tell, but it had white markings under the wings and on the face. Probably a juvenile Cooper's. I was on the bike, so I only had my monocular.
Interesting article - there are nesting Merlins within a stone's throw of our house and most summers within a short walk (Montreal Island). Thanks.