Xploring The Nature

I found this Merlin last week but had computer problems so could not upload the photos. As Merlins are uncommon winter visitors in Canon City I believe it is the same Merlin as was seen by my friend Cathy near the Abbey the week before and likely the same as was seen by friend Linda on the Riverwalk before that.
I first spotted it perched in large tree on the other side of the Arkansas River from the Canon City Riverwalk where I was walking--see bottom pic for that view.
After watching it stretch and look around a lot for about 5 minutes it flew over to the river and harassed a pair of Mallard Ducks, in fact flushed them though it is way too small to be a real threat to them.
This is a Taiga subspecies of Merlin. Per Birds of North America online, "...breeds from Newfoundland to w. Alaska south into the n. US (Maine and n. Vermont, New Hampshire, and NY; n. Great Lakes states, and w. mountain states)." . SeEtta

After this feisty Merlin buzzed the Mallards and chased off a couple of Eurasian-collared Doves in trees across the river, it did a neat acrobatic flight show along the Arkansas River where I caught the above shot. I took these pics almost 2 weeks ago (and had computer stop working so just got it back up and running) and haven't seen this beauty since then. SeEtta

This Prairie Merlin is the last species I found on my birding trip last week.
Look below the tree limb and you will see dangling legs and feet from the prey that is being eaten by the Merlin, and in some pics part of it's lower body is evident.
The pics below are enlarged to better show the feet and long claws. You can see that it is feathered just above the joint.  It looks in the pic just below to have only 3 toes but with two of the toes are foreward and one toe is back.  Not sure what kind of bird has this configuration.
And the final enlargement  appears to show the head (looks like it has 2 eyes) of the prey bird between the Merlin's feet but maybe some other part of the body.  Not sure what this prey might be.  SeEtta