In previous years, a few of you may remember me writing about a pair of merlins I had the privilege to watch hatch and raise a family. Then one spring, their nest – which appeared flimsy to begin with – was finally blown apart by a strong wind and rain storm.

In vain did I search for a new nest site, and only occasionally would I see or hear the adult birds in the clearing. I despaired of seeing them again; that site was optimal for viewing their activities and even catching glimpses of the young in the nest, and it appeared they had abandoned it.

So, I was overjoyed when I heard the high-pitched “kee-ing” of the female as I passed by the clearing in the University Forest in Orono a few weeks ago. Scanning the mature white pines remaining in the area, I quickly located the female perched upon a bare branch, silhouetted against an azure sky.

She vocalized periodically and was finally answered by the male. She flew out of sight but returned shortly to her original perch with the body of a small songbird clutched in her talons – her mate had brought her a meal. I wished I had been able to view the actual food transfer, for this can take place entirely in the air, talon to talon. It would be exciting to witness this delicate aerial relay.

Leaving the female to pluck and consume her prey in peace, I scanned the trees for a nest and was finally rewarded by the bulky cup of a nest high at the top of a white pine. Merlins don’t build their own nests, using instead the abandoned nests of crows and other birds of prey. This nest appeared to be sturdy and much more substantial than their previous one, and I took that as a good indication of nesting success this year.

They were back!

Knowing my friend Paul Markson hadn’t seen “my” merlins yet, I invited him out to the clearing. He brought along his spotting scope at my encouragement, for a close-up view of a perched merlin was guaranteed. We weren’t disappointed.

Paul was the first to spot the female, who was situated in such a way as to blend into the branch she perched upon. She faced away from us as she scanned the clearing for prey, bobbing her head in that characteristic fashion of raptors that are actively zeroing in on a possible target. We saw this behavior repeated several times before she followed it with any action; however, she returned to her branch empty-taloned.

She elected instead to preen, and we were treated to lovely views of her as she stretched out her wings, spread her tail, and fluffed out her feathers in order to conduct a thorough cleaning.

We never did see the male; he had either gone back on the hunt or was quietly perched somewhere, resting. I wished we had seen him, for he is quite a contrast to the female. Although not as flashy as are other males of different bird species, the male merlin is still distinctive. The plumage on his wings and back is an electric shade of blue-gray; fine, dark brown streaks adorn his stark white chest and underside.

The female’s back and wings are dark brown, and her chest is more heavily streaked, appearing less “clean” and stark than the male’s.

There is a marked difference in their voices, at least to my ear. The male’s is higher-pitched, and he utters his “kee kees” faster and in a more staccato-like manner; the female’s pitch is lower and her delivery is slightly slower.

As is the case with all raptor species, females are larger than the males.

It appears merlins are enjoying a range expansion; they’ve been labeled “an increasingly urban nester in all areas, especially southern Canada and the northeastern United States” in “The Birds of North America” species account. Along with their larger and more powerful (and more popular) relatives, the peregrine falcons, merlins had been seriously affected by DDT poisoning and have also been making a strong recovery in the years following the banning of the insecticide (at least in the United States) in 1972.

In Maine, there have been reports of nesting merlins in Bangor and in Baxter State Park, as well as elsewhere in Orono and Old Town. I’m sure there are more I’m not aware of or do not remember. If you have noticed nesting merlins in your neighborhood, I’d love to hear from you.

BDN bird columnist Chris Corio can be reached at bdnsports@bangordailynews.net