Brilliant yet again! I've loved your videos for a year now. Inspires me to do something like this. Defo hobby, merlin is thrush sized and would be tiny on the pole. Also too small for peregrine. Congrats on the wilson's phalarope and Hope you achieve your goal next time
Thanks for the comment. We are getting really close. If only we could go birding every day, and our other commitments ( jobs, family, adult responsibilities ) did not get in the way! Let's see what the next video brings, stay tuned.
WOOOHOOOO Wilson's Phalarope. I sent that bird across the Atlantic to ya'll as a gift! Congrats on getting so close to achieving your goal! Great video! EDIT: Looks better for a Hobby imo.
I'm a frequent counter at a fall raptor migration site here in Canada, so lots of experience with Merlins and Peregrines (plus one UK Hobby sighting). The dark vertical breast streaking visible at 9:42 appears much too dense and dark for Merlin. Moreover, the white on the neck and the supercilium seems too bold for Merlin: the facial patterning of Merlins is much more subtle. I'd also add that I've never seen a Merlin in NA on such a low perch: Posting up high and then dropping after launching is a typical way they pick up speed. Your bird also seems too delicately built for Peregrine. I looked at a fair number of putative Hobby photos posted online, and I'd suggest your bird looks good for Hobby. I hope you can come to a decision you feel good about -- thanks for letting us chime in!
Thanks for the comment and your expertise regarding the mystery raptor. We have had so many comments that, like yours, are very well informed and compelling. Regardless of this, there is no general consensus, so I don't think we can count this bird, unfortunately. Thanks again for watching our video and for your support.
I'm from North America, but Wilson's Phalarope is fairly rare in my part of the continent, so I've actually only seen the species once before myself! Cool that it was so easy for you! I agree that that falcon looks too big for a Merlin. I'm not very familiar with Hobby or Peregrine to say much more.
The raptor looked more like hobby to me, but can't be 100% sure, looked rather large for merlin. Great kingfisher footage but not grabbing large lunches as were the heron and cormorant. What luck with the Wilsons! Great footage and addition to your total! Do the girls keep life lists? I wondered if they had a friendly rivalry as they don't all get to the same locations and see the same birds? Two species to go! I wonder which are still on your 'want list'! Good luck all of you, great viewing as always!
The hawk looks more like a juvenile peregrine to me after comparing with other photos of peregrine hobby and Merlin. I would agree that it looks too big and looks too stocky for a Merlin or hobby but I may be wrong
Size wise, judging from the 4 inch dia (10cm) fence post, not long enough for a Peregrine (37 to 47cm, average 42cm) and doesn't have its heavy black moustache and large head shape. Perched Merlin has wing-tips shorter than tail which protrudes noticeably, and close inspection with a magnifying glass shows this to be so in your photo. Hobby has both wing and tail-tip meeting at the same length. In 34 yrs of living in Somerset see the Hobby many times during spring to early autumn, as many as 30 to 50 on a good day 15 yrs ago when numbers were high here. Its hunched shape when perched is typical of Merlin, so I think you can add this to your Big Year List.
Thanks so much for your concise analysis of our mystery raptor. Although you are most likely correct, we do not have a general consensus across our comments. Due to this, we will not be counting this bird. Thanks for the comment anyway. It was interesting to read everyone's thoughts. Many of you guys have been doing this much longer than us, so we do appreciate your expertise. Thanks for watching too. we are grateful for your support.
It is a juvenile hobby, as it isn't that large as a Peregrine and the beige cheek patch reaches the neck(merlin has no check patch and the cheek patch of a Peregrine is not that large
Living in New York State, I’ve seen Merlin & Peregrine quite a few times, and your falcon does not look quite like either to me. Merlin is big-headed, its wings are much shorter than the tail, & the face is not so boldly patterned with white. Young Peregrines also have vertical streak marks on the breast but your bird has such bold lines going down the breast that I wonder if it’s a Hobby, a bird with which I am not familiar. I enjoy your videos, so keep making them!
Brilliant yet again! I've loved your videos for a year now. Inspires me to do something like this. Defo hobby, merlin is thrush sized and would be tiny on the pole. Also too small for peregrine. Congrats on the wilson's phalarope and Hope you achieve your goal next time
Thanks for the comment. We are getting really close. If only we could go birding every day, and our other commitments ( jobs, family, adult responsibilities ) did not get in the way! Let's see what the next video brings, stay tuned.
Fantastic footage of the Kingfisher! That must have felt great after missing it all year.
It was getting pretty frustrating. We kept seeing them but they were always too fast!
WOOOHOOOO Wilson's Phalarope. I sent that bird across the Atlantic to ya'll as a gift! Congrats on getting so close to achieving your goal! Great video! EDIT: Looks better for a Hobby imo.
Thought it was your work! We shall send a british bird your way,! Is a blue tit ok? I hope it makes it.
I'm a frequent counter at a fall raptor migration site here in Canada, so lots of experience with Merlins and Peregrines (plus one UK Hobby sighting). The dark vertical breast streaking visible at 9:42 appears much too dense and dark for Merlin. Moreover, the white on the neck and the supercilium seems too bold for Merlin: the facial patterning of Merlins is much more subtle. I'd also add that I've never seen a Merlin in NA on such a low perch: Posting up high and then dropping after launching is a typical way they pick up speed. Your bird also seems too delicately built for Peregrine. I looked at a fair number of putative Hobby photos posted online, and I'd suggest your bird looks good for Hobby. I hope you can come to a decision you feel good about -- thanks for letting us chime in!
Thanks for the comment and your expertise regarding the mystery raptor. We have had so many comments that, like yours, are very well informed and compelling. Regardless of this, there is no general consensus, so I don't think we can count this bird, unfortunately. Thanks again for watching our video and for your support.
I'm from North America, but Wilson's Phalarope is fairly rare in my part of the continent, so I've actually only seen the species once before myself! Cool that it was so easy for you! I agree that that falcon looks too big for a Merlin. I'm not very familiar with Hobby or Peregrine to say much more.
Thanks for your comments and support!
Fantastic 😊
hobby are showing really well on eastern reedbed at st aidan
Merlin for me. Initially thought Hobby but not after pausing and zooming in.
The raptor looked more like hobby to me, but can't be 100% sure, looked rather large for merlin. Great kingfisher footage but not grabbing large lunches as were the heron and cormorant. What luck with the Wilsons! Great footage and addition to your total! Do the girls keep life lists? I wondered if they had a friendly rivalry as they don't all get to the same locations and see the same birds? Two species to go! I wonder which are still on your 'want list'! Good luck all of you, great viewing as always!
Thanks again Tony!
The hawk looks more like a juvenile peregrine to me after comparing with other photos of peregrine hobby and Merlin. I would agree that it looks too big and looks too stocky for a Merlin or hobby but I may be wrong
Size wise, judging from the 4 inch dia (10cm) fence post, not long enough for a Peregrine (37 to 47cm, average 42cm) and doesn't have its heavy black moustache and large head shape. Perched Merlin has wing-tips shorter than tail which protrudes noticeably, and close inspection with a magnifying glass shows this to be so in your photo. Hobby has both wing and tail-tip meeting at the same length. In 34 yrs of living in Somerset see the Hobby many times during spring to early autumn, as many as 30 to 50 on a good day 15 yrs ago when numbers were high here. Its hunched shape when perched is typical of Merlin, so I think you can add this to your Big Year List.
Thanks so much for your concise analysis of our mystery raptor. Although you are most likely correct, we do not have a general consensus across our comments. Due to this, we will not be counting this bird. Thanks for the comment anyway. It was interesting to read everyone's thoughts. Many of you guys have been doing this much longer than us, so we do appreciate your expertise. Thanks for watching too. we are grateful for your support.
might be a merlin
I think it could be a hobby because of its brownish-red markings
That looks like a hobby does it have red under parts of so Hobby they won’t be here for long migration isn’t far away.
Merlin’s smaller I think.
you should of went to see the steppe grey shrike at Dunbar Lothian..
We would like to, lets hope it sticks around a week or so longer!
No sign today I'm afraid 😒
@@tommoodie-cy7dr nooooooo! missed that one then. unfortunately, life, family and my job do get in the way of birding!
Hobby
It is a juvenile hobby, as it isn't that large as a Peregrine and the beige cheek patch reaches the neck(merlin has no check patch and the cheek patch of a Peregrine is not that large
Living in New York State, I’ve seen Merlin & Peregrine quite a few times, and your falcon does not look quite like either to me. Merlin is big-headed, its wings are much shorter than the tail, & the face is not so boldly patterned with white. Young Peregrines also have vertical streak marks on the breast but your bird has such bold lines going down the breast that I wonder if it’s a Hobby, a bird with which I am not familiar. I enjoy your videos, so keep making them!
thanks for the comment, really appreciate your support from over there in the states!
Too big for a Merlin. That’s a Hobby in my opinion.
To me it looks like a merlin, 100% not a peregrine though
To me it looks like there's a good chance it's a hobby, but I wouldn't count it since you can't verify from this photage
It's not a Hobby the wings criss cross past the tail and I don't think it's barrell chested enough to be a peri so I'm going female Merlin