As we walked through a kissing gate imagine our surprise to find this female Merlin perched within 6 or 7 metres from us! She posed for a couple of photos and then flew off into a tree. A first for me!
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Tags: Merlin Female Merlin Falco columbarius wild and free falcons kissing gate birds of prey Staveley Canon 7D MK II Canon 100-400
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This was the sight that greeted us as we walked through the kissing gate - a beautiful female Merlin perched on the reserve sign, wild and free, welcoming us in. She posed for a couple of shots before flying off into a tree. A once in a lifetime encounter! I should have bought a lottery ticket that day!
I posted a closer, cropped image a couple of days previously.
Published in the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust magazine (winter 2017)
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Tags: #6 on explore Merlin Female Merlin Falco columbarius wild and free falcons kissing gate birds of prey Staveley Nature Reserve Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Canon 7D MK II Canon 100-400
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One from the archives. This was the Merlin that was perched on the reserve sign at Staveley Nature Reserve in August - totally wild and free.
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Tags: Merlin Falco columbarius wild and free Staveley Nature Reserve Yorkshire Wildlife Trust UK Wildlife Trusts falcons Birds of prey Canon 7D MK II Canon 100-400
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This Merlin was perched on the reserve sign at Staveley Nature Reserve as we walked through the gate back in August - totally wild and free. I managed about half a dozen shots before it flew off.
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Tags: Merlin Falco columbarius wild and free Staveley Nature Reserve Yorkshire Wildlife Trust UK Wildlife Trusts falcons Birds of prey Canon 7D MK II Canon 100-400
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This Merlin had just caught a dragonfly in it's talons. They mostly eat small birds, caught in flight, but they do also eat a variety of large aerial insects. This image was taken a couple of years ago but I only came across it again today when looking through my archives.
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Tags: Merlin Falco columbarius wild and free falcons Birds of prey birds in flight North Yorkshire Canon 7D MK II Canon 100-400
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