Raptor Wednesday

For the fifth straight year, I’ve spotted Merlins in this linden tree next to the Steinway Mausoleum in the fall, winter, and early spring.

This was my first sighting for fall ’25, on October 26th.

The Merlin flew away when this American Kestrel showed up. This tree is a great 360-degree lookout.

The Kestrel flew when this Cooper’s Hawk* flew by, chased by another Kestrel. Both Kestrels disappeared and the Coop perched a bit in a nearby tree.

*Expecting the common name change for the Cooper’s to come down between the time I write up this post and the time it publishes.