{"id":123203,"date":"2024-03-08T04:22:26","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T11:22:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=123203"},"modified":"2025-05-08T07:41:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T12:41:50","slug":"female-merlin-on-international-womens-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/08\/female-merlin-on-international-womens-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Female Merlin On International Women&#8217;s Day"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I found and photographed this female Merlin at my local pond last month, and she seemed to be the perfect bird for me to share on International Women&#8217;s Day.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Why?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-143268 size-full\" title=\"Urban Merlin in a pear tree, Salt Lake County, Utah\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/merlin-winter-urban-mia-mcpherson-8207.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/merlin-winter-urban-mia-mcpherson-8207.jpg\" alt=\"Urban Merlin in a pear tree, Salt Lake County, Utah\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27640%27%20height%3D%27800%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20640%20800%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27640%27%20height%3D%27800%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/merlin-winter-urban-mia-mcpherson-8207-200x250.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/merlin-winter-urban-mia-mcpherson-8207-400x500.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/merlin-winter-urban-mia-mcpherson-8207-600x750.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/merlin-winter-urban-mia-mcpherson-8207.jpg 640w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Urban Merlin in a pear tree \u2013 Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f9, 1\/1250, ISO 500, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Because the female Merlin serves as a powerful symbol of strength, resilience, and adaptability. Female Merlins are known for their fierce hunting abilities and their unique characteristics that set them apart in the avian world.<\/p>\n<p>Like these magnificent birds of prey, women around the world exhibit remarkable qualities that make them stand out in various aspects of life.<\/p>\n<p>Female Merlins are adept at navigating diverse environments and hunting with precision, showcasing their agility and determination.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, women demonstrate versatility and resourcefulness in overcoming challenges and achieving their goals. Women embody the spirit of perseverance and courage, much like the female Merlin&#8217;s relentless pursuit of prey.<\/p>\n<p>Also, female Merlins play a vital role in their ecosystems by maintaining balance thus contributing to biodiversity.<\/p>\n<p>In a similar vein, women play crucial roles in society, driving progress, fostering inclusivity, and advocating for positive change. Their impact is felt across different fields, from science and technology to arts and culture, enriching communities and inspiring future generations.<\/p>\n<p>Celebrating <a href=\"https:\/\/www.internationalwomensday.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">International Women&#8217;s Day<\/span><\/a> is an opportunity to honor the strength and achievements of women worldwide, recognizing their invaluable contributions to society.<\/p>\n<p>Just as the female Merlin soars through the skies with grace and determination, women continue to break barriers, shatter stereotypes, and empower others through their actions and voices.<\/p>\n<p>Together, we can uplift and support women in their endeavors, creating a more equitable and inclusive world for all.<\/p>\n<p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/merlin-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Merlin photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I found and photographed this female Merlin at my local pond last month, and she seemed to be the perfect bird for me to share on International Women&#8217;s Day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27,1182,709,26],"tags":[4004,2663,13896,6577,13897,4101,4297,14725,4078,4279,4070,14785,4296,4295,4104,13898,153,4018,5422,14724,4427,8018,373],"class_list":["post-123203","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-merlins","category-salt-lake-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-bradford-pear","tag-branches","tag-callery-pear","tag-clouds","tag-falco-columbarius","tag-falco-columbarius-columbarius","tag-falcon","tag-falcons","tag-female","tag-international-womens-day","tag-merlin","tag-merlins","tag-perched","tag-pyrus-calleryana","tag-raptors","tag-sky","tag-subspecies","tag-taiga","tag-tree","tag-urban","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/merlin-winter-urban-mia-mcpherson-8207.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-w39","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":121267,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/02\/15\/surprise-merlin-photos-two-merlins-in-a-pear-tree\/","url_meta":{"origin":123203,"position":0},"title":"Surprise Merlin Photos &#8211; Two Merlins In A Pear Tree","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 15, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I was at one of my local ponds yesterday morning when a gorgeous adult female Merlin flew in and landed on a tree not far from where I stood behind my tripod.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Merlin with her eye on me, Salt Lake County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/merlin-taiga-adult-female-mia-mcpherson-8009.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/merlin-taiga-adult-female-mia-mcpherson-8009.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/merlin-taiga-adult-female-mia-mcpherson-8009.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/merlin-taiga-adult-female-mia-mcpherson-8009.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16472,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/11\/01\/prairie-merlin\/","url_meta":{"origin":123203,"position":1},"title":"Prairie Merlin","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 1, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I saw a fleeting glimpse of a bird a few days ago that I suspect was a Merlin that migrated to winter here in Utah and it inspired me to post a few Merlin images today.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Merlin and prey, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-perched-prey-mia-mcpherson-8255.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-perched-prey-mia-mcpherson-8255.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-perched-prey-mia-mcpherson-8255.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-perched-prey-mia-mcpherson-8255.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4225,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/01\/27\/merlin-perched-in-a-tree-friday-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":123203,"position":2},"title":"Merlin Perched In A Tree ~ Friday Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 27, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Merlins are winter visitors in the Salt Lake Valley so I have just a few more weeks to attempt photographing them. Merlins are used to be called \"pigeon hawks\" because their shape and flight patterns are similar to pigeons.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"High key Merlin, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-mia-mcpherson-8382.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-mia-mcpherson-8382.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-mia-mcpherson-8382.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-mia-mcpherson-8382.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57418,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/04\/24\/two-merlins-were-my-best-finds-of-the-day-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":123203,"position":3},"title":"Two Merlins Were My Best Finds Of The Day At Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 24, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"There isn't a single day in the field where I take my eyesight and my keen spotting abilities for granted and yesterday those attributes netted me not one but two Merlins while I was at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Merlin with prey on the marsh at Bear River MBR, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-spring-prey-mia-mcpherson-3009.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-spring-prey-mia-mcpherson-3009.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-spring-prey-mia-mcpherson-3009.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-spring-prey-mia-mcpherson-3009.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15821,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/09\/13\/merlin-magic\/","url_meta":{"origin":123203,"position":4},"title":"Merlin Magic","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 13, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Just a short Merlin post today from my Montana trip, a teaser for the images I will soon be posting.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Perched Merlin, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-low-light-mia-mcpherson-6640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-low-light-mia-mcpherson-6640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-low-light-mia-mcpherson-6640.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28246,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/09\/13\/a-centennial-valley-merlin\/","url_meta":{"origin":123203,"position":5},"title":"Centennial Valley Merlin","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I don't often have the opportunity to photograph Merlins so I was plenty excited to find one yesterday on the South Valley Road in the Centennial Valley that stuck around for a bit!","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Merlin and its prey in the Centennial Valley of Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-prey-mia-mcpherson-9498.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-prey-mia-mcpherson-9498.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-prey-mia-mcpherson-9498.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-prey-mia-mcpherson-9498.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123203"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123203\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/143268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123203"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}