Falcons tend to have long toes but I thought those of this Merlin in flight (2nd image) were especially well seen. Merlins are bird-hunting specialists and they often snag their quarry right out of the air in flight so the bigger “net” they can throw the better.
There are always interesting things to see on the island, some anticipated and some not. Some welcome and some not.
Last month I posted a few images of this Merlin in the fog. For subtle reasons this may be my favorite from the entire session with the bird.
Earlier his month I had two encounters with a Merlin on consecutive early mornings at almost the same location in the Centennial Valley of Montana. These images were taken the first morning.
On our recent Montana trip I spent two morning sessions with a cooperative Merlin at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley.
I’ve noticed an apparent behavioral quirk in some of the falcon species I’ve photographed and it’s tweaked my curiosity a bit. I’ve seen it most often in Prairie Falcons but that’s most likely because I get more opportunities with that species than I do any other of the large falcons. More often than not the Prairie Falcon holds its wings up or out (or both) for a few moments before it takes off. Sometimes the posture is maintained for quite a while. This is one of the better shots I have of it. Most of the photos to follow have reduced image quality but I include them to document the behavior. This bird held the posture for so long that I filled my buffer twice before it actually took off. Most often I’ve seen it prior to take-off from an elevated perch like this one but it also happens occasionally when they take off from the ground. Another Prairie Falcon showing the posture. I don’t see it nearly as often with the American Kestrel as I do with larger falcons. Perhaps that has to do with the relative ease of take-off for this diminutive falcon. I get few opportunities with Merlins but I’ve noticed it occasionally with this species also. I’m not sure if Peregrine Falcons do it. Usually when I’ve been close enough to photograph peregrines they’ve been on prey on the ground and they may be less likely to show the behavior when taking off from a…
