This great photo of a Merlin in pursuit of a blue jay was taken by John Harrison who put it up on Wikimedia.
“Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Yet I Think It’s Magical
I had been seeing this dark bird shape flash overhead for several days, but hadn’t got a good enough look to identify it. Solving the mystery of what bird I’m observing is part of my bird-watching passion.
A close up look at a merlin. — Wikimedia photo
It was mourning dove size, but it flew nothing like a dove. I thought it flew like a hawk but it was too small for the Cooper’s hawks that have been keeping the apartment complex company all year.
The brief glimpses I had of the bird were tantalizingly frustrating. It would fly overhead past me, and by the time I looked up after seeing its shadow, it had disappeared into the trees.
Merlins, before they grew up and became majestic birds of prey. — Wikimedia photo
Finally a few mornings ago, as I sat drinking my cream-laced coffee and watching dawn break, I identified it as a merlin. It whizzed past my third floor balcony at eye level, probably after one of the small song birds that had been flitting around waiting to catch the morning sun, too.
Merlins are not year-round residents of the Tucson area, but they do migrate through and winter here, according to my birding field guide. Since I haven’t seen the merlin in the past couple of days, and since it’s not yet winter, I suspect it was just passing through on its way farther south.
With all the small birds around the complex, it probably decided this was a good place to fuel up. Merlins, according to Cornell University’s ornithological web site, rely on speed and agility to hunt their prey. The merlins often hunt by flying fast and low, using trees and large shrubs to take prey by surprise. While they actually capture most birds in flight, they will also tail-chase a bird to catch it.
. While not a lifer, I’ve only been able to identify this member of the falcon family a few times. But bird experts say the merlin is becoming more numerous in urban areas, so perhaps there are more “magical” merlin sightings in my future.
The Wondering-Wanderer’s blog pick of the day.
Bean’s Pat: Ian Butler Photographer http://tinyurl.com/ledqorr Great photo of a dunlin for all you birders out there.
Pat Bean's blog 
“The brief glimpses I had of the bird were tantalizingly frustrating.” Now, isn’t that the truth!!! Smile. I’m tickled you saw this wonderful raptor. I’m trying to really keep my eyes out for raptors lately, with some luck. Saw my first barred owl a few weeks ago, a tantalizingly frustrating brief glimpse of one, anyway. Grin. I only I.D.’d it because of it’s call. I also saw a Northern Harrier earlier this summer. I think I’d about spit with glee if I saw a Merlin and could actually I.D. it!!!
Good luck on seeing and identifying the birds you see. It’s really part of the fun of being a birdwatcher. Doing so is the only thing in my life that I’ve had patience in doing. Thanks for commenting Judy
It really is a handsome bird. Interesting post Pat.
Beautiful bird, Pat. I’ve always thought maybe the hawk that got a mockingbird right outside my screen door and that sat there pinioning its prey until it stopped moving was maybe a Cooper’s hawk. I think, now, it might have been a merlin. It just sat there, looking through the screen at me, with it’s talons in the bird’s breast, much like the middle picture you posted, and when the time came, just flew off taking the mockingbird with it. It was an awesome feeling seeing that fierce bird look at me, though I don’t know if it could actually see me. I felt like I was in the presence of something very special.