Merlin: The Chocolate Falcon

We continued hawkwatching on Tuesday and even though there were fewer hawks than our record-breaking day, we had some fun birds. This Merlin flew close enough to the hawkwatch site to allow me to grab my camera and shoot.

Merlins always quicken my pluse as they fly by. They'e a falcon who means business. A swift, powerful, focused flyer, they're a thrill to watch. Female and immature Merlins are dark above, dark streaked below, hence the term "chocolate falcon". Males are blue-gray above, streaked below.