[EBB Sightings] Merlin eating its prey (pics)

Hi all,

Last Friday (2/8) I was at Coyote Hills looking for the previously reported
rock wren (without success) when two kind birders alerted me to a MERLIN.
The Merlin  had landed on a bare perch only moments before and had begun
plucking its just-caught prey.  I didn't get good looks at the prey species
while it was relatively intact, but my best guess was that it was a Gold
Crowned Sparrow.  I was able to photograph the entire process as the MERLIN
consumed everything but the feathers.

For those interested I've posted some photos at the URL below.  Warning:
some of the photos are fairly graphic.

http://untamedimages.com/recent/



Best regards,

Michael Pollack
www.untamedimages.com