Hello Tweeters,
All this talking about the excitement watching the Hawks and Eagles chasing
Shorebird,reminded me of the incident we saw on Bottle Beach ,watching the
Shorebirds flying by.But something really scared all of them .when we saw a
Merlin and a Marsh Hawk follow the long lines of Shorebirds.The Merlin much
closer the Marsh Hawk behind.The Merlin nipped a Black-bellied Plover still
flying but struggle to keep up the speed with the group,but left alone .when
the Merlin hitting on the plover trying to knock it in to the water,it took
three hits and the Plover fall in to water,but now the Marsh Hawk also
trying to grab the Plover from the water,but failed,he could not lifted the
Plover up, since the plover very much was fighting for his life.The Merlin
now know that he had to ground the Plover over and over to the Plover would
not move.He than picked the plover up,where he flew high to a nearby big
Fire Tree.The way this Merlin was hunting the Marsh Hawk had no chance to
get this bird.What was so enormous interesting that the Merlin took such
large Shorebird.But this Falcon a great hunters and seldom when there going
after a prey,will there miss.
It was kind of sad to watch,but also so interesting watching the Merlin and
Marsh Hawk in competition.

Cheers Ruth Sultan