Sprout the Merlin

[davelumb]

Not something I expected to see on my evening walk. A young merlin being trained. A pity it was almost sunset which made getting decent pics tricky as I hadn't taken a very good lens with me as I wasn't expecting to see anything interesting...

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[suffolk si]

Lovely little birds

[davelumb]

Lovely little birds

Indeed. And gourmet dining on quail!

[JoeNickel]

Is that the merlin on the left?

[Monts]

Not something I expected to see on my evening walk. A young merlin being trained. A pity it was almost sunset which made getting decent pics tricky as I hadn't taken a very good lens with me as I wasn't expecting to see anything interesting...

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[Will Smith]

Very nice Dave and quite an unusual sight to see.

will.

[davelumb]

Very nice Dave and quite an unusual sight to see.

will.

The chap has other merlin, three I think he said. A pair of peregrines and a couple of Harris hawks. But he's downsizing and passing a couple of the larger birds on to new homes.

The merlin had only been in training for a couple of weeks and the Harris he had with him even less. A pity it was so dark or I might have got some better pics. Most were out of focus or just plain crap! But interesting to see and listen to the chap talking about his birds.

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[Danoutdoors]

Superb. Love birds of prey.

[martin(rockape)]

Lovely birds, I notice the Merlin has a tracking device on it, must make it easier to find lost birds.

Regards

Martin

[Will Smith]

Very nice Dave and quite an unusual sight to see.

will.

The chap has other merlin, three I think he said. A pair of peregrines and a couple of Harris hawks. But he's downsizing and passing a couple of the larger birds on to new homes.

The merlin had only been in training for a couple of weeks and the Harris he had with him even less. A pity it was so dark or I might have got some better pics. Most were out of focus or just plain crap! But interesting to see and listen to the chap talking about his birds.

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It is a subject that has long fascinated me Dave and have often thought about taking up the sport of hunting with birds, maybe one day .

Will.

[davelumb]

Lovely birds, I notice the Merlin has a tracking device on it, must make it easier to find lost birds.

Regards

Martin

That's right.

Very nice Dave and quite an unusual sight to see.

will.

The chap has other merlin, three I think he said. A pair of peregrines and a couple of Harris hawks. But he's downsizing and passing a couple of the larger birds on to new homes.

The merlin had only been in training for a couple of weeks and the Harris he had with him even less. A pity it was so dark or I might have got some better pics. Most were out of focus or just plain crap! But interesting to see and listen to the chap talking about his birds.

_7513345.jpg

It is a subject that has long fascinated me Dave and have often thought about taking up the sport of hunting with birds, maybe one day .

Will.

This chap said he doesn't hunt much these days. He's hoping to train these two new birds to fly to a drone in the case of the merlin and to a remote control model aeroplane, made of some kind of foam, that looks like a crow for the hawk! His plan with the drone is to suspend a lure from it on a mechanism that will let the lure fall free so the merlin will stoop to the lure.

[Will Smith]

Lovely birds, I notice the Merlin has a tracking device on it, must make it easier to find lost birds.

Regards

Martin

That's right.

Very nice Dave and quite an unusual sight to see.

will.

The chap has other merlin, three I think he said. A pair of peregrines and a couple of Harris hawks. But he's downsizing and passing a couple of the larger birds on to new homes.

The merlin had only been in training for a couple of weeks and the Harris he had with him even less. A pity it was so dark or I might have got some better pics. Most were out of focus or just plain crap! But interesting to see and listen to the chap talking about his birds.

_7513345.jpg

It is a subject that has long fascinated me Dave and have often thought about taking up the sport of hunting with birds, maybe one day .

Will.

This chap said he doesn't hunt much these days. He's hoping to train these two new birds to fly to a drone in the case of the merlin and to a remote control model aeroplane, made of some kind of foam, that looks like a crow for the hawk! His plan with the drone is to suspend a lure from it on a mechanism that will let the lure fall free so the merlin will stoop to the lure.

Well, as longs he enjoys that, I don't suppose he is doing an harm.

Will.

[gary j stockton]

I bet it made your day dave it would have mine, love pics that make me think, thank you.

[davelumb]

I bet it made your day dave it would have mine, love pics that make me think, thank you.

Cheers. Yes it did make my previously dull day.