I also learned that the bird of prey that I was attempting to identify was, in fact, a merlin falcon, coincidentally (listed as ‘rare’). One or more of the merlins has been flying overhead ...

SpaceX could begin flying the grounded Falcon 9 rocket again as soon as this ... Ice began forming around the vehicle's Merlin engine, which we now know came from a leak in the oxygen system.

Merlin species of falcon is faring better than the kestrel in our area and has been spotted near a Woodbury farm this winter.