On Thursday I headed out looking for ducks and geese, especially the Ross’
Goose that had been in the area for a week or so. Even though most of the
ponds still have a fair amount of ice on them, I didn’t find many birds. To
save the afternoon, I did come across a Merlin at the Ponds housing development
(it has 2 ponds and a quarry that attract waterfowl) just outside of Lexington.
The bird appears to be an adult male. We don’t see many Merlins in Rockbridge
County – perhaps one per year, so they are a treat. I have to admit the photos
came out far better than expected given the late evening light. If you are
interested, here’s the link.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vmibiology/
Dick Rowe
VMI Biology Dept
