Merlin

I have not been able to get out and photograph anything (birds or otherwise) in the last few weeks which has been extremely frustrating so I made it a point to get out after work today even if it was for a short while.  I had seen a Peregrine Falcon the other day on the big communications tower at the Coast Guard station  in Hampton Bays on friday night (conditions didn't allow for a photograph) so hoped for at least that but maybe some shorebirds as well.  Since I have moved from Hampton Bays, it is now more convenient for me to get to Dune Rd. via Quogue and I'm glad I did because I found this gorgeous merlin in the residential area of Quogue that I normally skip when coming from Hampton Bays.

While the trip didn't yield much else, I got a few sunset photos of these birds.  It was just nice to get out and see some wildlife and enjoy the setting sun for the first time in a long time.

Here is a juvenile gull with an Atlantic Rock Crab.  Please keep in mind that this photo and the photo above it were shot at ISO 1600 in low lighting - so the image quality is degraded a bit.

Below is the same gull as above but silhouetted against the setting sun which I just couldn't resist.