{"id":59469,"date":"2019-08-13T06:03:40","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T12:03:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=59469"},"modified":"2024-02-15T03:54:23","modified_gmt":"2024-02-15T10:54:23","slug":"poof-utahs-merlins-could-disappear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/08\/13\/poof-utahs-merlins-could-disappear\/","title":{"rendered":"Poof: Utah’s Merlins Could Disappear"},"content":{"rendered":"

In my experience Merlins are already hard to find in the state of Utah but because of our climate crisis they could become even more difficult to locate or they might even disappear from the state altogether.<\/p>\n

\"EarlyEarly morning Merlin perched on a fence post – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/160, ISO 1000, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Merlins<\/span><\/a> are small falcons that can be found throughout North America, Canada, Alaska, Central America and the northern most areas of South America during migration on their wintering grounds and their breeding areas. It is always a thrill for me to spot Merlins when I am out in the field and to be able to take photos of them is an absolute joy. They are fast, fierce and fascinating.<\/p>\n

But according to National Audubon if no action is taken on our climate crisis 98% of the summer range in for Merlins in Utah will be lost and 66% of their winter range here will be also lost.<\/p>\n

\"MerlinMerlin with prey at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

It gets worse though, when I checked all the U.S. states in the Central Flyway, every state shows a similar chance of losing Merlins. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut in Canada might also see their populations dwindle or disappear. In the Pacific Flyway California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and the Yukon could also see them disappear from their skies.<\/p>\n

After the news yesterday that this current administration is attempting to destroy the Endangered Species Act I am furious because the morons in office don’t seem to grasp that we only have this one<\/em> planet and we are freaking killing it.<\/p>\n

Why? So a bunch of rich people can get richer?<\/p>\n

The idiots also don’t seem to get this… their grandchildren will pay the price for their greed and ignorance. So will mine.<\/p>\n

Do I sound angry? I am.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Merlin photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In my experience Merlins are already hard to find in the state of Utah but because of our climate crisis they could become even more difficult to locate or they might even disappear from the state altogether.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99419,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_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":""},"categories":[124,1513,27,1148,223,2152,1254,1182,12,26],"tags":[4004,4990,3462,7552,9823,4224,4297,12623,4078,4279,3830,4094,4296,4295,4104,4394,4233,4106,4095],"class_list":["post-59469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-centennial-valley","category-conservation","category-environment-wildlife-ethics","category-merlins","category-montana","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-burn-area","tag-climate-change","tag-climate-crisis","tag-disappear","tag-early-morning","tag-falco-columbarius","tag-falco-columbarius-richardsonii","tag-falcon","tag-falcons","tag-fence","tag-marsh","tag-merlin","tag-merlins","tag-perched","tag-post","tag-prairie","tag-prey","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/merlin-marsh-with-prey-mia-mcpherson-3052.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-ftb","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4225,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/01\/27\/merlin-perched-in-a-tree-friday-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":59469,"position":0},"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 "Birds"","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":16472,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/11\/01\/prairie-merlin\/","url_meta":{"origin":59469,"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 "Beaverhead County"","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, 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teaser for the images I will soon be posting.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","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\/2014\/09\/merlin-low-light-thumbnail-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\/2014\/09\/merlin-low-light-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-6640.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/merlin-low-light-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-6640.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 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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":99361,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/01\/28\/adult-male-prairie-merlin-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":59469,"position":4},"title":"Adult Male Prairie Merlin At Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"One of 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