Okay my teenaged daughter (and I) need help with today's photos that she managed to get before this fella took off. She took the pictures of this "Merlin" out of her brothers bedroom window. It was sitting on the neighbours roof. To give a size perspective, the roof vent that it is sitting behind, measures about 15" or 16" square. Julie eliminated it being the Peregrine Falcon due to the large cheek patches (which are smaller streaks under the eyes on this bird). She also eliminated the Kestrel due to it not having a white eyebrow. So although these pics aren't really clear, maybe we can still figure out what she did get a picture of. It has a dark vertical streak below each eye. Has a hooked beak. Heavily streaked, tawny coloured breast. Doesn't look very big (compared to the roof vent). Unfortunately it flew away when she was not looking. Today was heavily overcast and the bird was backlit making it difficult to get a proper picture. I tried 'playing' with the contrast and brightness levels, and these are about the best I can come up with. Sorry they are not clearer...

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We hesitate about it being a Merlin as (according to our birding books) they're not supposed to be in this area in the winter. We're located about 1 hour north of Toronto, Ontario in Canada. Oh, and it snowed a little this morning (again). Thanks for any ID input.

-G (and Julie)