Merlin and Teal
Against my better judgment, I went to Huntley Meadows on a Sunday. At least the sun was out today, and I caught sight of two pretty rare birds for this area at this time: a merlin and a couple of green-winged teals. There was a gaggle of birders huddled around a bush near the boardwalk because apparently a rail had shown himself there earlier in the morning. Instead I just have these mediocre photos of camera shy birds. Except for the nuthatch: there was a very friendly nuthatch that kept jumping onto the tree in front of me as I walked down the path. I obliged him by taking a few glam shots.
The merlin in flight.
No one else seemed to notice him, but I was able to follow him to his perch on a branch high in a tree at the edge of the marsh.
You can just about see the green-winged teals here.
And our trusty, friendly nuthatch.