Merlin, Tulelake, California, 18 February 2012 by Greg Gillson. More photos from the Winter Wings Festival in Klamath Falls, Oregon, last week, February 17-19, 2012. (See previous posts.)
After chasing the Common Redpoll in Tulelake, California, Brian Sullivan and I spotted this Merlin on a fencepost. Using the car as a blind, Brian drove while I photographed out the window.
Did you know that falcons have round nostrils? It's true! See the upper photo.
See a previous post on Merlin (Black Bullet.) The subspecies in this previous post is the Black Merlin (F. c. suckleyi), while the bird in today's photos is the Taiga Merlin (F. c. columbarius). The Prairie Merlin (F. c. richardsonii) is very pale.
Which photo do you like better?
Merlin, Tulelake, California, 18 February 2012 by Greg Gillson.