Kip’s Comments - December 25, 2025

A Christmas “Life” Bird!

Merry Christmas!!

While driving in fog for a Christmas visit I spotted and photographed this bird. I will admit that most of the morning I was thinking this was a female or immature American kestrel.

Yet, the bird did not look right - there were no dark vertical bars near the eyes. It was time to use my bird ID app that, after several attempts without changing, indicated I had photographed a merlin on a power line. Assuming this is a correct identification, and I believe it is, this was a “Life” bird for me. In other words, today was the first time I saw a merlin in the wild.

Merlin in Fog - Image 1052063

I seldom see birds I have not observed before, so a “Life” bird on Christmas morning made the day extra special.

For those wondering, the lone heron is still around. This morning’s fog did not support a clear view, but you can easily see the heron remains in the area.

Great Blue Heron in Fog - Image 1052073