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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Attention Birders! Merlin at Germantown MetroPark Nature Center
Attention birders!: A Merlin has been repeatedly spotted near the entrance to Germantown MetroPark’s Nature Center.
Remember when I said it helps to have binoculars in your vehicle in order to get a closer look at wildlife you see, sometimes unexpectedly? Right after I wrote that blog I positively identified a Merlin perched outside the nature center’s entrance. It was perched on top of a telephone pole at the corner of Boomershine Rd. and Shimp Rd, and since I had a pair of binoculars with me then I definitely proved my point to myself! It’s been three weeks now and I’ve seen it about four times since then, so not every day but it is sticking around.
Merlins are small raptors and if you are a birder they are a fun one to seek out in the winter since they don’t stick around all year. Some people keep lists and may be looking to add a Merlin to theirs for their life list or for just this year. If you want to check for these handsome feathered friends I have had the best luck early in the morning ( 8-9 a.m.) or early evening (4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.). They can easily be confused with Kestrels so study a photo first, bring binoculars and pay attention to the marks around the eyes. Merlins are also darker with more streaks on the chest and lack the orange and blue feathers that male Kestrels have. While you are around, be sure to check out the rest of the park and search for the many, many other birds at Germantown MetroPark.
More info on Merlins at Cornell’s All About Birds: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/merlin/id/ac
Here’s a Kestrel for Comparison:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Kestrel/id/ac
Also, here’s a bit about Merlins from Jim McCormac’s awesome blog! http://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/search/label/merlin
