Merlin and dragonflies

Nethermead Meadow in Autumn (click to enlarge)

(Photo credit - Rob J)

Walking across the Nethermead Meadow in the late afternoon I spotted a Merlin zipping back and forth above the grass. She was trying to catch one of the hundreds of dragonflies that were pursuing their own prey. The flattened perspective through my binoculars made it look like she was dive-bombing a black Labrabor Retriever walking along the path. Her twisting, turning manuevers paid off as she ascended to the top of an oak tree to eat a huge, Green Darner.