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Archive 2018 · Merlin couple

morris
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Merlin couple

I photographed this pair of merlin at Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge the other day. On arriving at the refuge I tried to use the toilet and it was locked, thank you dysfunctional federal government. At least there are plenty of trees. I went to the spot we call the runway and shot flight for a couple of hours. Rather than the usual fast action there it was very quiet with an opportunity about every 15 minutes. As the sun started to set I looked at the trees I know the merlin visit that time of day and spotted one up high and decided to walk over and take some portrays. As I got close, I saw both of them enjoying the lovely weather and gazing at each other when not looking about. They mostly ignored me as I moved in taking my time and being shore to always face away as I planted my tripod so that the legs do not look like arms reaching toward the birds. I spent about 30 minutes with them. The male took off just before the sunset and the female after sunset allowing me to photograph them is some very pretty light.

-1 Male

12262018DSCF4078 by Morris Bennett Altman, on Flickr

-2 Female (browner)

12262018DSCF4168 by Morris Bennett Altman, on Flickr

-3 Male

12262018DSCF4441 by Morris Bennett Altman, on Flickr

-4 Female

12262018DSCF4574 by Morris Bennett Altman, on Flickr

-5 Male

12262018DSCF4631 by Morris Bennett Altman, on Flickr

-6 Male

12262018DSCF4688 by Morris Bennett Altman, on Flickr

-7 Male

12262018DSCF4694 by Morris Bennett Altman, on Flickr

-8 Female

12262018DSCF5117 by Morris Bennett Altman, on Flickr

Comments and suggestions welcome,

Morris

Dec 29, 2018 at 10:37 AM

AGeoJO
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Merlin couple

Superb set of Merlins, Morris! The lighting is wonderfully sweet.

Joshua

Dec 29, 2018 at 10:46 AM

MStapert
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Merlin couple

Super nice set Morris. Looks like your cautious approach paid off. Great light on these. I assume the male & female were just too far apart for a decent shot with both in the frame?

Mike

Dec 29, 2018 at 10:47 AM

armd
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Merlin couple

Nice set, Morris. Are they staying year round in your area or still migrating?

Dec 29, 2018 at 11:17 AM

KCollett
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Merlin couple

Good looking set, Morris!

Dec 29, 2018 at 01:34 PM

eyelaser
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Merlin couple

Excellent series...the ones with less branches are my pix picks. The light looks glorious!
Eric

Dec 29, 2018 at 01:39 PM

drobertfranz
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Merlin couple

Great set and some sweet light.... Super!

Dec 29, 2018 at 03:02 PM

Fred Amico
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Merlin couple

Lovely set in some great light! Very nice, Morris.

Dec 29, 2018 at 03:45 PM

kwilliam8
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Merlin couple

Wonderful images, with great light, Morris! Happy new year!
Keith W.

Dec 29, 2018 at 04:02 PM

tshore
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Merlin couple

Nice. In my experience Merlins are remarkably tolerant of the nearby presence of photographers.

Dec 29, 2018 at 09:28 PM

surfnron
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Merlin couple

Extra nice in great light Morris ~ Ron

Dec 29, 2018 at 09:49 PM

sum1sgrampa
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Merlin couple

Very nice, Morris. You were fortunate to get some nice, clean, unobstructed shots.

Dec 30, 2018 at 12:01 PM

genemiller
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Merlin couple

Beautiful Merlin series, Morris! To get such sharpness with the low light level is a real achievement! Congrats! Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Gene

Dec 30, 2018 at 01:39 PM

morris
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Merlin couple

AGeoJO wrote:
Superb set of Merlins, Morris! The lighting is wonderfully sweet.

Joshua

Thank you Joshua,
Winter light in NYC is superb

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MStapert wrote:
Super nice set Morris. Looks like your cautious approach paid off. Great light on these. I assume the male & female were just too far apart for a decent shot with both in the frame?

Mike

Thank you Mike,
I took this photo as I approached there tree

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armd wrote:
Nice set, Morris. Are they staying year round in your area or still migrating?

Thank you Armd,
I was occupied with other things during the spring and summer so I don't know. I plan to look for them in the spring, possibly it will be a great show.

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KCollett wrote:
Good looking set, Morris!

Thank you Ken

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eyelaser wrote:
Excellent series...the ones with less branches are my pix picks. The light looks glorious!
Eric

Thank you Eric,
That would be the ones of the male. The female was in a very hard spot to get clean images

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drobertfranz wrote:
Great set and some sweet light.... Super!

Thank you Robert

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Fred Amico wrote:
Lovely set in some great light! Very nice, Morris.

Thank you Fred

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kwilliam8 wrote:
Wonderful images, with great light, Morris! Happy new year!
Keith W.

Thank you Keith,
Have a Happy New Year

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tshore wrote:
Nice. In my experience Merlins are remarkably tolerant of the nearby presence of photographers.

Thank you Tim,
I'll still be careful as I'd rather not stress them

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surfnron wrote:
Extra nice in great light Morris ~ Ron

Thank you Ron

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sum1sgrampa wrote:
Very nice, Morris. You were fortunate to get some nice, clean, unobstructed shots.

Thank you,
I had to work hard to get them

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genemiller wrote:
Beautiful Merlin series, Morris! To get such sharpness with the low light level is a real achievement! Congrats! Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Gene

Thank you Gene,
This rig is super sharp and allowed me to do these large crops

Have a Happy New Year,

Morris

Dec 30, 2018 at 10:32 PM

kdacharya
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Merlin couple

beautifully done. to my uninformed eye, these are very similar looking to peregrines. voted.

Dec 30, 2018 at 10:36 PM

Don George
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Merlin couple

Nice capture. We have a few of these that work a field by our house. Can never get a shot of them unless there on an electric line.

Dec 30, 2018 at 11:48 PM

dalite
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Merlin couple

Dec 31, 2018 at 12:04 AM

morris
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Merlin couple

kdacharya wrote:
beautifully done. to my uninformed eye, these are very similar looking to peregrines. voted.

Thank you KD,
Merlin are a rather small type of falcon :-}
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Don George wrote:
Nice capture. We have a few of these that work a field by our house. Can never get a shot of them unless there on an electric line.

Thank you Don,
I'm glad this pair chose a tree

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dalite wrote:

Thank you Dalite

Happy New Year to all

Morris

Jan 01, 2019 at 09:23 PM

maxhr
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Merlin couple

Great shots, lighting looks superb.

Jan 01, 2019 at 10:34 PM

morris
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Merlin couple

maxhr wrote:
Great shots, lighting looks superb.

Thank you Max,

The light was amazing

Morris

Jan 03, 2019 at 08:27 AM

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