Merlin in the wind

["John Morgan" <jmorgan480 at comcast dot net>]

Bird doldrums setting in? Maybe this will help.

Saw something today that left me quite breathless and in awe. Perhaps 
not the kind of thing that would impress some of you, or maybe not in 
this same way, but as builder/flyer of radio controlled sailplanes one 
gets a feel for airframe efficiency in glide distance vs sink rate; for 
speed in relation to wing-loading; for slow min-sink thermaling vs 
high-speed aerobatics.

Model construction has come a long way with modern composites. Sailplane 
pilots flying the average 10' span modern designed craft often often 
out-perform Red-Tailed hawks in a thermal. So it is with a small sense 
of smugness that we observe the average Buteo working lift; nonetheless, 
much respect is had for the bird's sixth sense in finding lift, and 
being able to actually feel the vacuum of lift and the laminar (or not) 
airflow at slow soaring speeds.

That being said, and now speaking of myself, I have a huge amount of 
respect for the Falcon family as a whole; for their power, their speed, 
their agility. In my book, they rule the skies. Not from size and weight 
as Eagles would, but from acceleration, willingness to dive and fly 
extremely fast and their other amazing aspects. Let's just say that if 
there's a meal to be had, the Falcon gets the job done.

Today was quite windy, and of all odd places to witness this, the 
parking lot behind Chili's by the E-Center would be the least likely 
place!

While standing there talking to a friend, I noticed a bird pass by in a 
high-speed, shallow downwind dive. Conversation stopped as I turned to 
watch what was instinctively an American Kestrel or Merlin. In a dynamic 
soaring kind of move typical of an Albatross at sea, the bird came to 
within 10' of the ground (where windspeed is slowed by earth's friction) 
and suddenly turned upwind and converted all that speed to forward 
energy to penetrate against the wind. Climbing back up to near 80' above 
ground, the bird made AMAZING headway into the wind with nary a flap of 
the wings that were still folded close to the torso as if in a stoop. 
I've never seen a Kestrel fly so powerfully; so agressively. Though 
Kestrel-sized, this bird was browner, stronger looking and less lanky. 
An American Kestrel could never have penetrated against that much wind 
for that length of time without flapping. Had to be a Merlin. Definite 
pointy wings of a Falcon, but wingloading characteristics that would 
defy a Kestrel.

No sailplane model of any kind could have converted the forward energy 
from downwind speed to headwind penetration as efficiently as did this 
bird!

As it's speed finally begin to slow, the bird began to heel off into a 
crosswind direction again and was soon out of sight beyond buildings to 
the west, likely looking for its next place to build speed enough to 
turn upwind again.

Wow. A far cry from watching the bird perched, as so commonly they are 
seen. It is truly amazing to see these birds in action! In the 
turbulence of the situation this bird was so quick and agile....more so 
than I'd ever witnessed and at higher airspeeds than I'd ever been 
priviledged to see. And with so little flapping. That was perhaps the 
most amazing part of all this.

Birding where you'd least expect it,
John


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