Falcons are among my favorite subjects, particularly the two smallest of the species: the kestral and the merlin. I enjoy their acrobatic flight and the elegant form of their pointed wings. On the whole, falcons are good parents and I've tried to capture this in my painting where I have shown a father merlin caring for the chicks. Also known as pigeon hawks, merlins are talented hunters, flying low over the ground with steady wing beats, catching birds of their own size such as pigeons and small ducks as well as rodents and insects. It is a delight to watch them snatch large flying insects mid-air. - CB