ML22462831

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

photo: fairly dark bird, incl fairly solidly dark cap & in face, like helmeted like Peregrine: back is same color dark as cap (though all my photos are from ~ front): tail does have light bands, but only 2 semi-thin ones: (my bird identical to this one labeled Black Merlin online: http://www.nickdunlop.com/falcons-2/black-merlin-1-96_24_243.html ): so mine today is likely a Black Merlin, unless mixed : (Tom wrote: "We do get a few reports of Black Merlin every year, ... The most often seen subspecies we get is columbarius, which is intermediate between the Black Merlin and the Prairie Merlin (Falco richardsonii)." ): Tom C: "The “Black” Merlin is actually a “Boreal” (sometimes called “Tundra” Merlin F.c. columbarius. Possibly it is a mix with Black Merlin, but since it has a clearly banded tail it can’t be a Black Merlin. The throat is too white and the underparts, while dark, aren’t dark enough. Look at your Raptors of Western North America book for more info." (Falco columbarius columbarius is called Taiga in ebird)

Technical information

Model

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS

ISO

80

Focal length

215 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire, auto

f-stop

f/6.5

Shutter speed

1/200 sec

Dimensions

1376 pixels x 1634 pixels

Original file size

315.03 KB