MERLIN
The smallest falcon and for me the most nervous and difficult to photograph. They mostly visit the island during the Spring and Autumn migrations and occasionally in the Winter.
The merlin is a Scandinavian bird which winters in southern Europe. I heard tales of merlins lining up along the main track, sitting on the granite track markers waiting for tired migrants to fly through.
I personally only saw one at a time, and that infrequently. Getting close to them to take a reasonable shot was my problem. No matter how quiet I was or how carefully I approached them, they would fly off.
I would usually see them at first light, perched on a rock or low mound. This could be anywhere along the main track, or along the Sidelands.
Males, the size of a black bird, have slate grey wings and tail with black tips, and an orangey chest. Females are bigger with brown/grey back, cream chest and 5 dark bars on its tail. I apologize for the quality of the photos, which were taken at distance and so are heavily cropped.
