View allAll Photos Tagged MERLIN
Falco Columbarius
For the first time ever, we were able to photograph a Merlin in great light and fairly close.
New Britain, PA
Merlin (Falco columbarius) is ever watchful for any danger while feeding and perched on a fence post on the prairie landscape near Elk Island National Park east of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
17 September, 2017.
Slide # GWB_20170917_6983.CR2
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"LIFER"
Merci à tous ceux qui prennent le temps de voir, commenter et aimer mes photos!
Thank's to everyone who takes the time to view, comment and Fave my photos!
Falco Columbarius
It was a rainy, foggy, gloomy day yesterday. This little guy was perched on the big dead tree off the Nature Center parking lot.
New Britain, PA
An ultimately disappointing image, taken after a close encounter with a splendid male Merlin on the Isle of Man yesterday. It had been perched in a roadside tree as I drove past. I reversed the car slowly back past the Merlin and fumbled for my camera to get what could have been a dream image of this elusive falcon, no more than ten metres away, on a prominent, natural perch and against a clean background of fields. At which point it flew onto a power line, silhouetted against a dull sky and surrounded by man-made clutter! I suppose that encapsulates why wildlife photography is both so frustrating and so exhilarating.
I have watched this Merlin hunt sparrows very fiercely, but unsuccessfully. It then decided to perch for a while. I could not move around much since walking in the frozen snow made so much noise, but I am happy with a shot of this small falcon bird.
Since May of this year I have been following a pair of Merlin setting up nest in my neighborhood. This is the fourth year that they have been doing this, not necessarily the same tree. This year they seemed to have two chicks, both have fledged. I see them every time I go out for a walk in the morning or in the afternoon, actually hear them first before I see them - they are very vocal. Here's the photo of one juvenile stretching its wings - waiting for the parents to bring in food could be tiresome. Thornhill, Ontario
The little merlin waits patiently to detect a movement within its range
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Playing with my new camera, I snapped this picture of Merlin in the backyard and loved his expression..
This fellow was a regular visitor to 'Rosa's Garden of Earthly Delights' last summer. He would perch on the supports for the beans and watch over the garden for hours? We haven't seen him this year - yet.
The Merlin is a small species of falcon.
- Rosa's Garden of Earthly Delights, Keefer Lake, Ontario, Canada -
Merlin (Falco columbarius) LIFER! Mount Pearl, Newfoundland, Canada. August 22nd, 2020.
My darling wife woke me up this morning saying "Wake up there is a bird with something in its feet in the backyard!" Getting lifers before you have had your coffee is a good way to start the day!
I thought I was prepared for the launch but I was mistaken. They are really fast! He was up and partially out of the frame before I could adjust my tracking. Merlin along the main road at Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge.
Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont, CA
01 / 25 / 2018
這傢伙太漂亮了!!!
忍不住用了一點 "功" 放到照片軟體裡, 把左邊的雜枝修掉!!
我一向是個懶人, 美其名說要保持照片的 "原色", 每張照片都只把 "生檔 raw file " 加點光去除暗影, 就拉成JPG丟出來...哈哈...
When I was entering the area early in the foggy morning, I first saw a Red-tailed Hawk, then one Merlin flying away with a vole/rat, one mating pair Golden Eagles, another Merlin/Prairie Falcon (could not identify properly due to fog), then multiple RTHs, one Burrowing Owl, few Coyotes, a dead cow, and a flying Bald Eagle; all within few miles of each other. I thought the start of the day could not be better.
I staked out close to the dead cow hoping for some Coyote-Bald Eagle action, nothing happened as long as I was there.
So I drove around for some action, got nothing but few close portraits of RTHs. When the sun finally started to come out of the fog and the light got bright, I thought the early morning signs did not bear any fruit at the end.
Then, in my return path, I found the same two Merlins (yeah, the Prairie Falcon was a Merlin afterall). I believe they are also a mating pair as I found them within half-a-mile.
When taking pictures, I was thinking both the Merlins looked a little different. I did not know Merlins in the US have different variations. I believe these are Prairie Merlins, you be the judge.
Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison, Connecticut
At this point in our encounter, I believe this bird was clearly aware of me. I did not try to get any closer and so it stayed in this tree for quite some time.
Merlins are small falcons, probably about the size of a blackbird. What they lack in size however, they make up by their fearless character, as depicted in the photo.
They are found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, with some flocks being migratory. For example, those resident in Iceland overwinter further south in places like the UK. Throughout their range there are a number of sub-species.
They are often seen flying low at rapid speed in pursuit of smaller birds, which they flush out into the air.
Males and females are easy to tell apart, for the male has slate-grey upper parts, much like a peregrine falcon, whereas the female has brown upper parts, as does juveniles.
Many thanks for taking the time to view my photos, which I hope you enjoy.
St-Hubert, Québec
One of the Merlins that I think nest nearby, just in front of my local grocery store. It's cool that I can go grocery shopping and then take a few pics.
Found this guy in the same tree my juv. Green Heron was photographed in....hmmm.... I hope Merlins don't eat Green Herons. I did find a new batch of Green Heron Chicks in the same area that must have just fledged in the past couple days but they were pretty skitterish, may have had something to do with this guy!! :)
We came across this Merlin yesterday afternoon during a visit to Brazoria NWR and she was an awesome model. It was such a thrill to be able to observe her beauty from the car for several minutes before moving on. While we watched she just looked around and stayed put giving me enough time to mount my 2x tele-extender on my 500mm lens for a few photos before we drove away leaving her to her fence post.
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Falco columbarius
This is another Merlin (Prairie) that I saw that morning. He was busy eating his breakfast and keeping a watchful eye for other raptors around.
I have struggled to capture a proper image of a merlin for years--too dark, too distant, a poor pose. I was out looking for a Sandhill Crane nest after the property owner told me they see cranes with young (colts) every year. Didn't find the nest, but I did notice a pair of Merlins shooting around. The cloud cover created a mild sense of murky shadow.
Merlins nest across nearly all of Alaska and Canada. This area of northern Michigan is the very southern edge of its nesting territory. They do migrate through the entire US and winter in the West and very south, so they can be spotted virtually anywhere. And I have seen them twice in my yard.