Merlin Takes Hummingbird in Flight over Lake

On 27 September 2021, I observed a Merlin (Falco columbarius) capture a hummingbird in flight over Norfork Lake (89 km²) in the Ozark Mountains in northern Arkansas, USA. The Merlin perched in an isolated oak on Robinson Point (36°21.02′N, 92°14.54′W) and likely targeted the distant hummingbird before it took flight toward the south shore. I followed the Merlin through Zeiss 10 × 54 binoculars from my position on Robinson Point, about 75 m from the perch tree. As the Merlin approached the midpoint of the 1.5 km-wide channel, the hummingbird, which I had not previously seen, ascended abruptly in front of the Merlin. The hummingbird then dove toward the lake. The Merlin stooped sharply but I did not see the capture because my view was blocked by a tree on Robinson Point. The Merlin returned to its original perch carrying the hummingbird (Fig. 1)....