If you're a birder, you'll know what a life list is. It's basically a list of all the bird species one has observed and positively ID'd in one's lifetime. This blog is a record of my "critter" life list (mostly of birds), including photos I've taken over the years, some of the actual lifer if I was lucky enough to get the shot. Don't expect National Geographic quality stuff here, just the work of an amateur photog who loves to trudge out into nature.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Merlin (Falco columbarius)

 
12/28/16 Perched on an Engelmann oak above our orchard. 
La Cresta, Murrieta, Riverside County, CA

11/10/09 On the same Engelmann oak above our orchard. 
 1/11/18 On Englemann Oak on our property in La Cresta, Murrieta, 
SW Riverside County, CA
 1/11/18 On Englemann Oak on our property in La Cresta, Murrieta, 
SW Riverside County, CA 
LIFE LIST NOTES:

COMMON NAME: Merlin

SPECIES: Falco columbarius

FAMILY: Falconidae (Falcons)

LIFE LIST DATE: 1/17/2005

LOCATION: Perched on a Monterey cypress at the Washburn Day Use Area, San Simeon, San Luis Obispo County, CA

From Kaufman Focus Guide-Birds of North America:

HABITAT/BEHAVIOR: A compact, dashing falcon, very fast and direct in flight. Usually uncommon, seen as scattered singles, but sometimes seen in fair numbers, as along coastlines, during migration. 

IDENTIFYING MARKS: 11" w24"; Relatively short-tailed. Female and immature brown above, male blue-gray above, all are streaked below. 

VOICE: Rapid harsh chatter, ki-ki-ki-ki... 
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