Merlin !!!

vinnychameleon · #1 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 05:35 PM

Hi guys. As some of you may know i have had my suspisions there has been a merlin around my house. I went for a short walk about an hour ago and on the way back low and behold there was a gorgeous male merlin on a fence post 150 metres away from my house

. He took flight and i could see the sleek falcon wings and he flew very low across the fields at quite a speed. I am so thrilled

. I have been seeing what i have thought was a merlin but was never sure but now i know as i got quite a good view of him

. Its only the 3rd merlin i hav seen and so close to my house

. I am sad as he will be returning 2 his breeding grounds soon.

Garden Carpet · #2 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinnychameleon

Hi guys. As some of you may know i have had my suspisions there has been a merlin around my house. I went for a short walk about an hour ago and on the way back low and behold there was a gorgeous male merlin on a fence post 150 metres away from my house

. He took flight and i could see the sleek falcon wings and he flew very low across the fields at quite a speed. I am so thrilled

. I have been seeing what i have thought was a merlin but was never sure but now i know as i got quite a good view of him

. Its only the 3rd merlin i hav seen and so close to my house

. I am sad as he will be returning 2 his breeding grounds soon.

You are a Lucky Vinny... I saw one three days running this week. Nothing today

... hope to see him again soon though
jaki

Little Firewall · #3 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 05:46 PM

Yesterday late afternoon a Merlin came into our garden and sat on the top of a fence between two feeders. It then flew up into a tree and stayed there just for a couple of minutes then flew off. This is the first we have seen in this area and I too was chuffed to see it.
We are in Inverness-shire. Where are you Vinney? Where do they 'fly off to breed'?

Tursiops2 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 05:47 PM

You lucky beggar! In 30+ years of birding, that's one bird I've never managed to catch up with.

T2

vinnychameleon · #5 (**permalink**) 08-03-2007, 07:35 PM

Hi little firewall. Im down in devon and the merlins will return 2 up ur way 2 breed.

Little Firewall · #6 (**permalink**) 09-03-2007, 08:36 AM

Are you suggesting it may come back Vinny? I better get the camera handy, but what hope is there of a pic?

I think the understatement of the year was when my son came through to tell me that there was a bigish bird on the fence ...... and it's definately not a pigeon!!!!