Yderstad Rd south of Brown Rd, east of Mason, Bayfield County
March 2, 2008

Merlins are not rare in Ashland and Bayfield Counties but the huge majority are of the "taiga" or "boreal" race (F.c. columbarius). This bird is a juvenile/female-type of F.c. richardsonii, which breeds largely in the northern Plains. I believe this is only the second "Prairie" Merlin I've seen here.