Sunday nights 'dazzling' session - (the highlight of each day now there are so few birds about!) saw the triumphant ringers return with this fantastic 1st year female Merlin which had been dazzled as it roosted next to the roadside. Merlins are quite a handful as they are extremely alert & vicious, they will attack with their talons or bill at any opportunity and have lightning reactions! After Phil ringed this bird, which took an 'E' ring & was a ringing 'tick' for him, it was roosted overnight in a box & released at first light the next morning. There have been at least 3 Merlin seen hunting about the Island over the last few days. I particularly like the rufous underwing pattern as shown below . . .
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