A misty day dawns

A buck appears to be playing with young fauns in the field

No, not fauns

They stalk

Stag-Coyote standoff, Las Gallinas ponds, San Rafael, California

Just a young buck, but good sized

Buck chases coyote

a standoff

back to the hunt!

The better part of valor

Young Northern Harrier

Now it's time for me to go to work!

Next morning, at dawn, I'm back, just in case another great photo shoot appears . . . and finally I catch sight of a Merlin!

Merlin

As I walk out of a thick cloud of mist, who do I run in to? I keep on the path, and he or she trots in front of me.

In the dark, I see there are two, and one is definitely female! A third is lurking nearby. I slow down a bit.

The young Harrier . . .

We keep a close eye on one another . . . the other two are off in the field at the right.

This one kept his eye on me as he chowed down on a vole.

Yum.

They greet each other . . .