saw a falcon (i think) at Eide Road yesterday

[squirl033]

i believe this is some form of falcon... a merlin, perhaps? it was MUCH too fast to be any other kind of hawk that i know of. doesn't really look like a peregrine, unless it's a young one? it didn't dive on its prey like a peregrine, seemed to mostly just chase it in level, banking flight. it made several passes, including one about 25 yards away at about 10 feet altitude and what seemed like 80+ mph... too close and fast for me to pan with. the second shot isn't terribly clear, but it does show the colors on the back and upper wings better than the others.

 

[landscapes&birds]

Good shots, Rocky! It looks like a merlin to me.

 

[tripod]

I say merlin daaaa

 

[Bill Anderson]

My vote is for a merlin, the medium size member of our local falcon family. Check out my photos on page 52:
http://www.pnwphotos.com/forum/showthread.php?11497-Wildlife-of-Edmonds-WA-2015/page52

Good flight photos. I have made many attempts to photograph our local ones this past summer. They are extremely hard to photograph in flight due to their small size and fast speed.

 

[squirl033]

thanks, guys - seems it's unanimous! you're right, Bill, these little stinkers are tough to keep in the viewfinder!

 

[Bill Anderson]

thanks, guys - seems it's unanimous! you're right, Bill, these little stinkers are tough to keep in the viewfinder!

They like to hunt dragonflies flying over cattails.