This morning I set out on Dune Rd. in hopes of finding some American Bitterns which have been plentiful this week (with up to 4 being seen in a small area). I drove from Quogue East and didn't find anything other than a juvenile Black-Crowned Night Heron, a Belted Kingfisher, and a Song Sparrow. The inlet was dead with only 2 old squaw (long-tailed ducks) flying by and the expected raft of Common Eiders hugging the western jetty. While I drove back toward Quogue, right before Dolphin Lane I spotted a Merlin on the wires with a Sanderling. I turned around and positioned myself to photograph it...after a minute or two someone on a bike came by and flushed the bird which flew about 100 feet to the east which was actually a blessing for me as the bird now faced the other way and I could get a head-on look. After 30 minutes or so, the man on the bike returned and I was ready for the flush shot (having taken the teleconverter off of my camera and reduced my focal length from 500mm to 300mm). The only problem was I forgot to aim where the bird WILL fly, instead of where the bird Was. If I'd adjusted my camera up and to the left, I would have nailed the above shot, but instead I must deal with a clipped wing. Oh well...
I'll start off with a teaser of the other species, before the grand finale of Merlin shots.
Here is the Song Sparrow which looked so beautiful in the Spartina:
The Juvenile Night Heron had me hoping Bittern from the road... but as I approached it was clear I would not be so fortunate:
And the Belted Kingfisher, in it's less than exciting perch and pose...:
And now for the Merlin... this was when I first approached the bird and you can see the prey is facing the North which isn't ideal. It was Full Frame however, which was awesome:
After it had been flushed, with a feather stuck in the beak:
Head turn.....
It looks like it's yelling, but I assure you it was just trying not to choke on the feathers.
Trying to pick off each morsel of meat:
This again was before it flushed the first time:
A close-up:
Lastly, a mouth full of feathers....
this is EPIC! Fantastic shot Luke. In Britain were I am from and in at the moment we get Merlins too. I have never managed to get a shot as good as those ones though. All the photos are awesome on this post. The light is really good and it shows off the colours of the plumages of the birds. Good sequence of the Merlin. Keep taking epic pics! Check out my blog! www.birdinginthegarden.blogspot.com because I have used your photo (yes I have credited it)!!! :o)
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