Merlin, Milton

[Napper]

I was out on the deck observing the Chickadee's that have found my feeder, it went up three days ago. Spotted a couple of Cardinals a few houses down when above the the trees a Falcon shaped Bird of Prey appeared and flew over and landed on the top of a very tall power pole along Derry rd. It stayed long enough for me to grab my camera and snap a few long distance shots in this dreary weather. There was just enough detail in the images  to make out the Classic Merlin breast pattern.
I think the squirrels have already given up on the feeder as the base is 5 feet off the ground hanging on our makeshift clothesline well away from the fences and the trees.
Napper
I was able to lighten one of the images, You can clearly see the Merlins Moustache. I went outside a few minutes after posting the original thread and the bird made another flyby..

[Shortsighted]

Sharp eye. I haven't seen a bird of prey here in Pickering for quite some time. Don't forget to mention the banded tail as a feature of a Merlin. I've revealed some additional detail deep within your telescopic photo. I hope you don't mind.

[Napper]

Very nice, Thankyou!I have never really played with the RAW images that my camera(s) take. This was a first attempt using some free software. Somehow the windows photo editor with RAW capability is no longer on my Laptop, dunno how it happened. Windows update?
Napper:)

[Napper]

Interesting that the image link I shared is no longer in my original thread?
It was only 250 kb so as to be able to share, the original was 45 MB.
Napper. I dunno

[Axeman]

I'm looking at your pic and wondering how many Merlins have I seen and dismissed as RTH's....sigh...


On another note -- arising from your squirrel comment -- I was up at cottage last weekend...first time in a month I guess or nearly....and I noticed one of my feeders is missing....I'm guess raccoon but the snow is too deep for me to go looking until the melt. Sigh. I only had two up there.


Hope you're good and thanks for the pic I'll be sure to study it better.

[Napper]

This afternoon the image is back, I don't understand.
 

[Napper]

I'm looking at your pic and wondering how many Merlins have I seen and dismissed as RTH's....sigh...


On another note -- arising from your squirrel comment -- I was up at cottage last weekend...first time in a month I guess or nearly....and I noticed one of my feeders is missing....I'm guess raccoon but the snow is too deep for me to go looking until the melt. Sigh. I only had two up there.


Hope you're good and thanks for the pic I'll be sure to study it better.

Hey Axeman! re:feeder missing, you are in Black Bear country I wouldn't think a Raccoon could move a feeder but a Bear yes. Maybe a jealous neighbour 
Axeman Merlin's are only slightly larger than an American Kestrel, Merlin's fly with attitude, have moustache like there much larger relatives "peregrines" often mistaken for Sharp Shinned Hawks. We had a mating pair near our Cottage a few years back so I got to see them and the Juveniles an awful lot.. You cant' miss there call.
Napper:)

reminder if you click on the flickr link below there are a few images of Merlin's at the cottage and a really bad video of one screaming.
 

[Axeman]

I'm guessing with all the farmland around me....I must be simply missing them...I spot the kestrels...


Re: feeder...I think even with the thaw the bears didn't emerge plus only one was gone....as for neighbours, the neighbours to the south, it's not a four season so they're not up and the neighbours to the north are snowbirds and we won't see them again until the end of April.....I had a bear carry one of my feeders off at home....it was sitting on a large pole inserted deep in ground....bear uprooted the pole and dragged it off whole....I followed the tracks to the feeder deep in the bush....and then thought about the prudence of my actions...