Aptly Named ...

[Clicker]

This Merlin has been coming to my garden for over a year ... .. He disappears  in a flash .... just like his namesake the wizard.

I have to use auto focus to get even the remotest chance of catching  him and I have  loads of images of just a  blur of grey exiting the  frame . Yesterday  he was  on this branch for a few   seconds and these two shots are the best of 11  ... missed the focus but at least you can see it is a Merlin ..... One of these days........

 

 

 

 

[JamesT]

Well done to capture it at all. I don't think I've ever seen a merlin (possibly once on Herm).

[Clicker]

They are beautiful looking raptors James ... I think they are our smallest  falcon. Again , this was taken through the kitchen window yesterday ... I have since  pruned some of the branches  to try and eliminate the  branches that are catching the auto focus.. There's no point me trying  manual ... there'll never be time !

[Denis]

Never seem one either, handsome looking bird too hope the pruning works out ! I would like to see a clearer shot.

[Clicker]

Going by how long it’s taken me to get this one Denis .... It could be another year!!
Sadly ... it takes mostly  our popular garden  birds  to feed on but that’s part of the  balance  of Nature.....  

[Kobione]

Nice catch Polly - looks to have nice colour in the breast feathers.

[David995031]

Wow - lovely shot of a very special visitor.

[Clicker]

Thanks Folks ... I live in hope of catching  him with a good sharp view ... now that I have seen him land on the same branch 3 or 4 times, I can set up my camera and tripod ( always used hand held up to now )  in the kitchen for a few hours every day to cover the time that he now seems to appear on some days ...  You never know ......  

[Denis]

Good luck