Merlin in the barn!

UPDATE, more photos added:

All the birds left our cover-all canvas barn except the Barn Swallows! They kept right on catching bugs, flying within a few feet of the raptor. The Merlin would fly from one end of the 120 foot barn, to the other repeatedly before perching for a short period of time. He stayed in the barn for hours before I went home to get my camera. He or she, was still there when I left the barn. The white background is the roof of the barn.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xwgv​TE

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xwgY​su

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/xLyL​Du

Very nice, Sandy. I can't catch up with speedsters either. From the looks of that truss, your barn is quite the aviary.

Very Nice thanks.

ardeekay wrote in post #17683481
Very nice, Sandy. I can't catch up with speedsters either. From the looks of that truss, your barn is quite the aviary.

Thanks Rog. Yes it is a Starling and House Sparrows paradise! (Among others!)

targetman wrote in post #17683545
Very Nice thanks.

Thank you!

Nice shots Sandy

Very nice Sandy.

CaptBob wrote in post #17683667
Nice shots Sandy

Peter2516 wrote in post #17683699
Very nice Sandy.

Thanks CaptBob, and Peter. Not your ideal setting, but it beats tail-feathers flying off into the wild blue yonder!

Roger that, although I have quite a collection of bird's tail feathers

Can he figure out how to get out? A fishing net on a pole will get him if needed.

Great but funny shots Sandy. He looks quite at home in there!

Beekeeper wrote in post #17684169
Can he figure out how to get out? A fishing net on a pole will get him if needed.

Getting out should not be a problem, we have 3 huge garage style over-head doors that are open all summer.
I watched a raptor with a bird last year that it caught in that barn...what a ruckus when that happened. No camera, but I had to walk past him several times as I did my morning chores. It just stayed there in the barn, 10 feet away, enjoying his breakfast.

Wallace River wrote in post #17684177
Great but funny shots Sandy. He looks quite at home in there!

Thanks Ian. I assumed it was a Sharp Shinned Hawk until I zoomed in on him with the camera.

Ok. Just wanted to make sure. Cooper's hawks often go into my barn after sparrows and starlings. I always get a couple that can't seem to get out so I end up grabbing them with the fishing net early in the morning and turning them loose.

Beekeeper wrote in post #17684510
Ok. Just wanted to make sure. Cooper's hawks often go into my barn after sparrows and starlings. I always get a couple that can't seem to get out so I end up grabbing them with the fishing net early in the morning and turning them loose.

Glad I didn't have to catch him, this barn is huge. You would need a lift of some kind to reach to the top!

Well captured Sandy.

That's an interesting visitor Sandy. Great that you were able to get some nice photos of it.