No luck for us today on the Say's Phoebe or Lapland Longspur, but some cool
raptor action.
In the main corn stubble field (SE intersection of Sumerduck and Normans Ford),
an adult male Northern Harrier was working the field in typical fashion. (This
was a lifer "gray ghost" for both of us.) A smaller bird harassed it, and I
thought, cool, a mockingbird or something. But then the attacker flew up above
and swooped down at amazing speed.
It was a Merlin. We watched it continue to chase the Harrier, then suddenly
the Merlin broke off to chase birds nearby. After searching a wider area for
the Longspur, we returned and they were both continuing to hunt in the same
field. The Merlin impressed me during several attacks, diving with a speed I
don't think I've ever seen in a Kestrel.
We caught sight of 2-3 small flocks of 10-30 Horned Larks each, and when they
landed, they were mostly invisible even in strong binoculars and spotting
scope. Probably hunkered down among the stubble due to the wind.
Many Meadowlarks and several hunting Kestrels added to the fun there today.
Steve Johnson
Fairfax, VA
