Surprise everywhere

We spent the night at my uncles in PA, though I have been pretty nervous about doing that due to COVID. I usually go for a fairly long walk because I typically wake up earlier than he and my husband but  this Am was a short one ,though full of surprises . The main photo is an osprey that flew over while I was coming back towards the house. This is farm country and not the Finger Lakes where osprey are fairly common. There is a fairly large lake nearby , but I have to wonder if this one was heading south for the winter. 
The extra is the real find of the day. I brought the camera hoping to catch the 3 kestrels that hang out on the wires down from his house. They were not there when we arrived , but it was dusk so I hoped to find them on the walk. Once down the road and turning left to walk past a farm I saw three birds, clearly  smallish falcons, flying back and forth around the trees. one would occasionally light  on  this  ( unfortunately fairly backlit) dead tree.I couldn't really get a good look because of the sunset took some in flight photos and a few on the tree.I still though they were probably the three kestrels , but also thought check when  you get home- they look a little big for those kestrels. Surprise of the day . 3 merlins. Far less common and not the same birds I have seen all summer. Last time I saw a merlin was 20 years ago. My only disappointment is  : I wish I could have gotten a better photo.