If you have the time and inclination, a visit to where Brighton Beach Road exits back up to Scenic 61 is worth a drive shortly after sunrise. You will meet the world famous Merlin quadruplets.
A Pair of Merlins
Look Overhead … It’s Merlin Mom!
Begging to the Left … Begging to the Right
It’s not a Foot, It’s a Talon!
Merlin Video (direct link)
Ma and Pa Merlin were trying their best to ignore the call of the their hungry kids just after sunrise this morning! If you are a parent, you understand. Children DEMAND their breakfast immediately upon waking! Sleeping in is NOT an option. Both parents started hunting shortly after I took the video included with this post.
Over the past ten days or so, I have known there had to be a pair of Merlins nesting somewhere near the mouth of the Lester River. I had seen then hunting on multiple occasions. Yesterday while out on my daily bike ride I heard the chicks twice at the same location (out and back ride up Scenic 61). This morning I returned and found the family.
Merlins Greeting the Morning Sun
Watching Something Fly Overhead (a Bald Eagle?)
Merlins Starting to Hunt
Individual Portraits
The Merlins of Lester River (video)
Molly and I have been holding Gramma and Grampa camp. Our two oldest grandchildren have been visiting, and like good grandparents we look for fun outings. Thankfully the North Shore Scenic Railroad held their first “steam engine weekend” of the season. In addition to taking the kids birding, they got to see the steam engine many times!
Steam Engine Crossing the Sucker River Trestle
Wildflower Steam Engine (lupines)
Chug Chug! Choo Choo! (video)
Finally a photograph from one of our birding excursions … the location is where we found the Merlin. Thank you for the kind comments about “being a good grandfather”. Via my children’s books I hope everyone’s special children are introduced to the outdoors. My third book, Snowy’s Search for Color, just went to the printer on Monday.