I saw this Merlin about 40 feet out from the roadside while driving home at dusk from what has become a favorite raptoring spot and got stuck in a muddy ditch when I pulled off of the road to photograph it. The bird didn't do much of anything for the first few minutes, then got into the preflight stretching routine that seems to be more pronounced with Merlins than other raptors. After a few minutes of that, I got a takeoff directly towards me. Lots of wing blur in the shots as I had to slow down the shutter speed to keep the iso at a level that might give me some usable shots after running them through Topaz AI, but overall I'm fairly happy with it considering the conditions. I got pulled out of the muck by a local rancher after. This has been the year of the Merlin for me - I've seen and photographed more of them than I have in my entire life previous to this year, and have gained a massive respect for these fierce little falcons.
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Girlfriend and I walked out to Phillips Gulch Falls because of the way the sun was lighting up the cliffs. By the time I got set up the weather had changed to a light rain. 10 minutes after we left the sun was lighting up the cliffs again, but I'm happy with this stormy scene. Pro tip - If you go, do a thorough tick check after; I've never gone here without picking multiple ticks off my clothing.
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The rapidly changing weather casts a light on a Butte near Lava Beds National Monument.
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Female Bobcat almost plowed a furrow into the ground during the low approach to the gopher hole, then waited patiently. The hunt was a success. Marin County
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I had my first ever encounter with a leucastic hawk today in Marin County. A brief encounter it was, but what a treat! A short explanation of leucism cribbed form the website thespruce.com: Leucism, or leukism, reduces pigmentation in birds, preventing melanin from being properly deposited in the feathers or skin. Leucism is an abnormal condition resulting from a genetic mutation that causes birds to appear white or faded in color, either fully or in patches.
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