Date:         Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:23:50 -0800
Reply-To:     Mark Freeman <roam4birds@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Mark Freeman <roam4birds@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Merlin on Old Farmington Rd, Oconee County
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Just returned from a quick run into Athens for errands. On the way into town at
2:30pm I had a serendipitous sighting of a Merlin repeatedly stoop-diving a
flock of Chipping Sparrows in a rutted field at the north end of Old Farmington
Rd. This is on the west side of the paved section just off Colham Ferry Rd.

The Merlin was performing sweeping, yo-yo style diving attempts at capturing
prey huddled in the furrows on the ground. After maybe five or six failed
attempts, and with many sparrows flushing madly to escape, it appeared there
were no more sparrows on the ground, yet the Merlin continued with several more
dives.

Finally it abandoned its efforts and flew off to perch in one of the large
hardwood trees at the back of the field. It was only then that another 30+
sparrows lifted off the ground and high-tailed it to the trees on the opposite
side of the road. It was quite enjoyable watching the strong acrobatics of this
bird!

Map of the site is here at Google Maps:   http://tinyurl.com/336vkh

Or plug these numbers into Google Earth:   33.816404°, -83.405445°


Mark Freeman
Watkinsville, GA (Oconee County)
roam4birds@yahoo.com

Oconee Rivers Audubon Society
http://www.oconeeriversaudubon.org/



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