Greetings, Yesterday my wife, Ella, and I took a walk after the rain passed, not for birding this time, but quite a few were out after the rain with a little flock that included 4 Golden-crowned Kinglets, our first of this fall. We also saw a Merlin that comes occasionaly perches on a bare tree. Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, and Pileated Woodpeckers with the latter two perching eventually in the tree where the Merlin had been. Good birding to all. JNH