Returning from a family visit in NY, passed through the DCWMA and vacinity.

Those 5 GRAYLAG GEESE are still there as other reports indicate. They just
so weird looking to me. My girlfriend said that they are the same kind that
attacked her father once, but they were pretty friendly to us.(they seemed
alarmed when we were about 20 feet away, but then I started talking to them
and I guess they figured that a predator wouldn't be making all sorts of
strange noises at them, and so they went about their munching and such) Are
these a local farmers geese or just some escapees?

Little farther down the road on RT. 7 right where West Rd. comes in there
was a georgeous MERLIN sitting on the wire in late afternoon sun preening.
While even farther up the road near Shelburne (VT Teddybear to be exact)
there was a nice looking male KESTREL sitting on the wire eyeing the nearby
ditch.

What an amazing day it was!! So warm and sunny.

Happy Birding!!

Silas Miller
So. Burlington