Last year I saw Merlins with such a frequency on my shorebird counts that I was positive they were nesting in our area. The sightings included two juveniles who were sticking together which was a cue that these were local birds.

Fast forward to a couple days ago when I went with my wife and youngest daughter, Kenley, for quick scope of Forty Fort for shorebirds. As I was looking out at the islands and man and his kid came towards me on their bicycles. It turned out to be Peter Carlen and his son. He told me he had seen a nest of falcons over at the cemetery while riding and, although he didn’t have binocs on him, thinks they could be Merlins. I had literally just seen a Kestrel and with the heat and the family I didn’t think it was worth checking out right then and there. And then it left my mind because I’ve been in both in a terrible mood over the past couple days and very busy.

That is, it left my mind until this morning when I woke up to an email confirming that there are indeed Merlins nesting. This becomes only the second breeding confirmation in the Poconos region, and really is one of only a few state records. Pretty impressive! For those of you not familiar with Merlins breeding range, they are a northern breeder who’s nesting grounds mostly fall within Canada.

Again, I’m a huge proponent of Forty Fort as one of the best spots to bird in our area. This discovery means raptors that are nesting right there include: Merlin, American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk, Bald Eagle, and, not very far from here, Peregrine Falcon. That’s pretty awesome considering how a lot of raptors were decimated by DDT— particularly the falcons and the Bald Eagle. And now to be able to see them nesting right in this little stretch is impressive.