FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] merlins (2) at oak hill cemetery (kingsport)

["Rick Phillips" <sunfish0501@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Following a report by Don Miller of a Merlin in Greene County on Jan 11, I 
decided to check Oak Hill Cemetery today (Jan 12) to see if I could scare up a 
Merlin over this way where we had one a couple of years ago.  I drove into the 
cemetery around 4:45 pm and drove to the north side where I could easily scan 
the tops of the tall conifers where I had seen a Merlin in the past.  Sure 
enough there sat a fat little Merlin in the top of a tall spruce tree.  With 
the overcast skies it was already so dark I could only see an outline with 
naked eyes.  I checked him out with binocs and started to get my video camera 
out of the car when I noticed another Merlin sitting in a spruce-top just 
thirty or so yards away.  Both birds sat, preened, and stretched for thirty 
minutes while I took video (in near dark conditions).  A car stopped and 
someone got out to visit at a graveside within 30 feet of the tree where one 
Merlin sat.  The bird only looked down and stretched a wing.  Same sort of 
relaxed behavior I saw from the bird that was here a couple of years ago.  They 
were still perched in the treetops when I left at around 5:15 pm.  I did get 
some video and will get a clip up on the net after while.

Thanks Don, for reminding me to look.  Bill, this might be a possibility for 
tomorrows field trip, weather permitting.  I can't go as I have to work, but 
just drive into the cemetery and look in the tops of any tall conifers.  As I 
recall I have had the best luck early in the morning and at dusk on clear days. 
 Seems I remember one rainy day the bird from a couple of years ago hung out 
around the same perch just about all day.  

Oak Hill Cemetery is in north Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee off of Lynn 
Garden Drive above the Dairy Queen.

Rick Phillips
Kingsport, Tennessee