Merlin

Earlier this year I posted a thread asking for an ID on a small bird of prey I saw in my front yard. It was identified as a merlin. It turned out that there were TWO of them, a mating couple, living in the tree in my front yard. A couple of weeks ago, three babies started flying around, I now have FIVE merlins in and around my yard! Here are a few pics and a couple of videos I took.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/sorenhedberg/7​383475864/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/sorenhedberg/7​541107036/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/sorenhedberg/7​593799686/

nice!!

lucky you...nice shots...hopefully they come back again next year for you

Thanks guys. I hope they come back next year, I'm gonna miss the little buggers if they don't.

Very neat to have these so close by. Great shots!

Great pics and opportunity. I've never been able to get close enough for good pics like that. Congrats.

nice captures

Wow nice pics, I like #2 in the larch/tamarack, they can be noisy those merlins.

Great shots.. all I get is crows around here..

my favorite is the last one. great shots!

For the last photo I was able to be very close to the merlin. I was laying in my hammock in my backyard listening to music when suddenly I heard a very loud "kee-kee-kee" just behind me. I looked up and saw the merlin sitting about 15 feet away. He didn't seem to mind that I was so close, so I went in the house and grabbed my camera. I think he was looking for his siblings or parents, he sat there and cried until they flew by, then he joined them.

Very nice, you are so lucky to have these. I still have to get a decent picture of a merlin