Merlins are incredibly alert and it is almost impossible to approach them on foot, even at a couple of hundred metres they’ll fly off. This one clocked me immediately when I started to take a few pics through the window. I watched it for a minute or so, then it flew but returned a few minutes ago and now appears to be roosting in my Willows. No more dog walks tonight so hopefully it will not be disturbed.
The light is failing now but it’s still there and should remain overnight.
Peregrines!
A few more migrants around today.
Whinchat
Pied Flycatcher
and a Lesser Whitethroat
Also a few Willow Warblers here and there.
Lovely this set
Always nice to find a rarity, today it was an Arctic Warbler which took over an hour to finally show itself fully so that I could confirm the ID.
Even then I had a very slight doubt until I shared the pics with a couple of friends - both top birders - who confirmed it. I must start to trust my own judgement more!
More common migrants in today. 2 Whinchat, 2 Garden Warblers, Pied Flycatcher, 2 Willow Warblers and 8 Ruff.
Also had 3 Merlin, one of which (first pic) took down and killed a Golden Plover! It isn’t unprecedented but I’ve never seen one take prey that big!
Busy round your neck of the woods.
I always thought Golden Plover are bigger than a Merlin? Must have been an experienced female Merlin?
Certainly a female but not necessarily an experienced one, they rarely take prey of that size during the breeding season but that’s well finished so could even be one of this years offspring.
They reach sexual maturity very quickly and can breed in the first year after they are hatched, in order to do that they obviously need to master the art of hunting extremely quickly.
A few more migrants arrived today.
Pied Flycatcher
Willow Warbler
and finally a large warbler sp. that gave me the runaround for a good 20 minutes before I got an identifiable view - Garden Warbler
Still a few Wheatears hanging on
What a little beauty that Wheatear is! 
Yeah, they’re great birds. I reckon they’ve had a really good breeding season here, been loads of juveniles around.
With two nests now established at Foulsshaw Mosses, this behaviour is unusual but great news. Will pop down for a look.
He wasn’t going to let that chick flounder.
Managed to find another Red-backed Shrike - second one of the Autumn.
At Funzie mires this afternoon.
In a long run of stunning pictures that’s probably the stunningest!
I see from images on google that this is a juvenile. How old is it do you think?
