![\"merlin](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/merlin-9885-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFalcons tend to have long toes but I thought those of this Merlin in\u00a0flight (2nd image)\u00a0were especially well seen. Merlins are\u00a0bird-hunting specialists and they often snag their quarry right out of the air in flight so the bigger “net” they can throw the better.<\/p>\n
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1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon\u00a0EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n I photographed this female last week in Montana’s Centennial Valley. When they’re perched or in full flight with their legs tucked the length of the toes is seldom obvious. But when this bird took off…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/3200, f\/7.1, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon\u00a0EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n those unusually long and thin toes were well displayed. I can only imagine what it must look like to potential prey with all eight toes splayed out and coming at them in the air. Add to that the incredible speed, maneuverability and tenacity of the Merlin and you have an extremely effective predator of small birds in flight.<\/p>\n I do wish the second shot were a little sharper but I decided that it’s sharp enough for my purposes here. Considering the flight speed of the Merlin I was lucky to get what I did…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" 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.<\/p>\n![\"merlin](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/merlin-9887-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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