[wisb] Kingfisher vs. Merlin, La Crosse

  • From: "Wheeler Melissa M" <wheeler.meli@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:43:28 -0500

Today while walking in Myrick Marsh, repeated kingfisher calls caught my 
attention, and I saw what I first took to be two kingfishers flying around the 
marsh, though it soon became clear that the second was a brown bird of prey.  
The kingfisher stayed relatively close to the water's surface during the chase, 
even dipping in once to avoid the predator.  
 
After about a minute the kingfisher managed to make it to cover safely, and the 
falcon perched in a dead tree where its darker-colored mate was also sitting, 
giving me a close enough look (I had no binocs but could get directly below 
them) to determine that they were merlins.
 
Interesting that the merlin would pick on someone her own size!
 
 
Melissa Wheeler
La Crosse, La Crosse
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  • » [wisb] Kingfisher vs. Merlin, La Crosse - Wheeler Melissa M