Wednesday 16 October 2019

Firecrest


A post-work stroll around Orcombe - 4+ Chiffchaff, 2+ Pied Wagtail, 10 Linnet, c10+ Goldcrest, c100+ Meadow Pipit, c10+ Skylark, 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker, 1 Green Woodpecker, Firecrest and Coal Tit.
Off Maer Rocks - 2 Turnstone and 5 Sandwich Tern, and off Mudbank - 15 Pale-bellied Brent Geese.


I think this is probably a Merlin. It was distant and flying away from me but I messed up by taking a photograph before properly grilling it. Any thoughts welcome. I might add by first impression through the bins was Hobby, not Peregrine, but I don't think it's that. I've wrongly called distant Peregrine as Merlin before so I'm under no illusion about how cautious you need to be!

2 comments:

  1. Matt, I've done the same as you with Peregrine. It's easy to misjudge how small a male peg can look sometimes. So I'm definitely not going to make a call on your photo! ;—)

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  2. Thanks Gavin - glad it's not just me. Remember watching a Peregrine way out in the bay, low over the sea, with Nick and Tim and I was banging on about how it was 'Merlin this and Merlin that' when it suddenly swooped up alongside a Gannet and was suddenly obviously a Peregrine. A valuable lesson. Merlin is a less than annual bird for me here in Exmouth so I've got my fingers crossed for a 'good' one in the coming weeks. Look forward to reading about your local patch exploits this autumn. All the best. Matt

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