My favorite neighbor
So this little guy seems to have taken up residence in a tree (along with his family) just across the street. I have seen him several times lately, and have tried to get close enough to take his photo - to no avail - until today. He happened to be eating a worm in the street and was content to just sit there for a bit. I initially took shots from some distance, assuming he would take flight when he thought I was too close (and eventually he did) but I was able to get within about 20 feet of him! I kept inching closer and closer, and sat down on the curb and fired away.
Does anyone know what kind of bird this is? Via a Google search he appears similar to a red-shouldered hawk and also a merlin, but I really have no idea. Any help on that front is appreciated. One thing I know for sure - my wildlife photography skills need some work, and I probably need much different equipment. Either way, it's fun to get pretty close to a creature this beautiful.