Merlin

This is a new bird for me.  Thank goodness there were plenty of bird watchers at Huntley Meadows this morning, who located and ID'd this beauty for me.  After resting  briefly , it flew back and forth from one very high perch to another After the birders moved on, it stopped for a short time right in front of me on a low stump.  My shutter was smoking!  

It is a falcon, smaller and stockier than a hawk and has sometimes been called a pigeon hawk.  

Today was the first decent day we have had in a while.  On Saturday, I shot some backyard birds before the rain started. I was pleased with the shots.  When  I took the SD card out of my camera to upload the pictures I got sidetracked by a phone call and who knows what else, and subsequently couldn't find the SD card.  It has not turned up anywhere and remains a mystery.