SIGHTINGS 2009-2010
It is now year 18 of watching Merlins atop the tall Redwood tree in College Terrace, which is across the street from our house. We have a dedicated scope trained on the tree.

Our first sighting this season was on 10/12/09, which is earlier than the average of October 20. The weather was so bad that the colors were difficult to see, but this Merlin looked quite brown on the chest, so it was probably a female. I could not see the back. Two days later it came back, and ate a bird. So, it is doing what the original Merlie did. We will have to see what future sightings produce.

The general structure of Merlie #2 is different than Merlie #1. The supercillium of the current bird extends all across the head, whereas on the old Merlie it only went to the back of the eye. The current Merlie is a lot whiter than old Merlie. On some decent weather days I tried to take pictures, but they were not any good. Maybe next year.

On 10/15/09 we had a first for that tree. It was a Black Phoebe. He had better be careful, if Merlie is around.

The old Merlie usually left around March 20.

The following sightings are for Merlie on TOP of the College Terrace Redwood Tree
(see main page for street address).

10/12/09 - 11:23 am - first Merlin of the year - looks like a female - brown chest
10/14/09 - 8:02 am (eating)
10/15/09 - 9:45 am - A First: a Black Phoebe
10/19/09 - 12:00 pm - Darker (male?), short eyebrow; 5:11 pm (rain)
10/24/09 - 5:12 pm
10/26/09 - 7:29 am
10/29/09 - 4:00 pm (Mears Court Redwood Tree: MCRWT); 5:30 pm (MCRWT)
10/30/09 - 7:30 am; 4:47 pm (Jamie, our RTHA)

11/01/09 - 3:43 pm
11/09/09 - 6:54 am
11/18/09 - 9:03 am
11/23/09 - 1:37 pm
11/24/09 - 4:00 pm (MCRWT)
11/27/09 - 8:30 am

12/04/09 - 12:00 pm
12/05/09 - 7:37 am
12/07/09 - 7:23 am
12/08/09 - 7:18 am
12/10/09 - 7:45 am; 9:00 am
12/13/09 - 7:59 am
12/16/09 - 12:00 pm; 1:25 pm
12/20/09 - 7:38 am
12/23-28/09 Out of Town
12/30/09 - 7:58am

01/01/10 - 9:00 am; 3:50 pm; 4:35 pm
01/08/10 - 2:41 pm
01/10/10 - 3:30 pm
01/11/10 - 1:35 pm
01/13/10 - 3:30 pm (on RWT across from Foster)
01/15/10 - 1:30 pm
01/19/10 - 10:50 am; 1:45 pm
01/20/10 - 11:00 am (wind/rain)
01/25/10 - 12:37 pm; 2:15 pm
01/26/10 - 9:12 am
01/28/10 - 9:23 am
01/29/10 - 3:35 pm
01/31/10 - 9:00 am

02/04/10 - 2:12 pm (white neck band)
02/05/10 - 7:30 am
02/08/10 - 7:45 am; 8:52 am; 1:05 pm; 2:43 pm
02/09/10 - 1:42 pm
02/11/10 - 6:58 am
02/12/10 - 1:25 pm; 2:42 pm
02/13/10 - 7:42 am
02/14/10 - 8:45 am
02/15/10 - 10:12 am; 2:48 pm; 3:20 pm; 5:12 pm (eyebrow over whole head)
02/17/10 - 10:35 am; 12:15 pm
02/18/10 - 10:35 am; 12:02 pm
02/20/10 - 10:12 am; 3:42 pm
02/21/10 - 9:08 am; 1:40 pm
02/22/10 - 7:12 am
02/23/10 - 10:47 am
02/24/10 - 7:12 am; 4:35 pm
02/25/10 - 7:30 am; 3:37 pm (on RWT across from Fosters)
02/26/10 - 7:03 am; 4:10 pm
02/27/10 - 6:58 am
02/28/10 - 7:50 am

03/01/10 - 5:00 pm
03/03/10 - 2:00 pm
03/04/10 - 6:55 am
03/05/10 - 5:20 pm
03/06/10 - 7:02 am
03/07/10 - 2:00 pm
03/08/10 - 8:50 am
03/12/10 - 6:45 am
03/13/10 - 7:15 am
03/14/10 - 10:06 am (DST begins)
03/16/10 - 5:15 pm
03/21/10 - 8:55 am

04/02/10 - 6:40 pm
04/10/10 - 1:25 pm

Look for Merlie #2 again on October 20, 2010