14/10/2026
A little update on Merlot, our red kite, who has spent much of this summer on a very different kind of journey.
Merlot had been away from Coda for a period of time, but unfortunately she didn’t have the easiest experience away from the familiar surroundings and handlers she knew here.
Around the same time, an ingrowing feather became infected and she needed an operation to remove the affected feather shaft. That meant a long rehabilitation process followed, with plenty of rest, recovery and some very vocal opinions from Merlot along the way - if you’ve heard mysterious squawking in the background of our videos this summer, there’s a good chance it was her.
She’s now at the stage where she can begin rebuilding her confidence with flying again, gradually getting stronger and more comfortable taking to the air and soaring.
The final moment in the video is with SJ, one of the familiar Coda handlers Merlot knows well - and a lovely reminder of just how much trust and familiarity can matter when working with individual birds.
She’s still rebuilding, but seeing Merlot back in the air is a very welcome sight.
