A misty day dawns

Just a young buck, but good sized

a standoff

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

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

back to the hunt!

The better part of valor

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

Yum.

No, not fauns

Merlin

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

They stalk

Buck chases coyote

Young Northern Harrier

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.

The young Harrier . . .

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

Off they go into the mist . . . six in all (only 3 in this shot).

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

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

They greet each other . . .