To be perfectly honest I’ve always been slightly disdainful of personalized (vanity) license plates, at least for me. I generally prefer relative anonymity, partly because my natural inclination is to avoid bringing attention to myself (so why am I blogging?…) Not to say that I don’t enjoy reading them on other vehicles while driving and I often have fun with the challenge of trying to figure out what some of them really mean. Since I spend a lot of time photographing birds I occasionally run across “birder plates” at some of the refuges and marshes I frequent. So recently, after the purchase of a new pickup, I decided to break out of my mold and join the crowd.
For me, “HARRIER” was almost a foregone conclusion if it was still available, and it was. Many of the better images in my avian collection are of the Northern Harrier, which most folks refer to simply as “harrier”. Whenever I’m forced to choose a favorite avian subject (a choice I don’t like to make) I typically choose this species. They’re magnificent aerial athletes, beautiful, extremely challenging photographic subjects and they carry that “raptor mystique”.
Canon 7D, 1/3200, f/7.1, ISO 500, EV -0.33, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc
After waiting over 6 weeks to have them delivered (come on Utah, get on the stick!) they finally arrived a few days ago. Today was my first day photographing birds since I got them and I thought it fitting that I was able to get this shot of a juvenile male harrier taking off from a sagebrush out on Antelope Island, especially since it’s rare for me to get a good harrier shot anytime other than winter.
Here’s my rig, complete with “Noodles” in the windows for Mia and I to shoot from. So, if any of you birders or bird photographers spot my pickup at any of the local hotspots and if you have the inclination be sure to stop and say hello – unless we have our lenses trained on a bird. If so, please drive on by and wait for next time!
I can’t take credit for the title of this post (which I like a lot). I saw it on Richard Ditch’s website where he notes that it was originally used by Audubon Magazine for an article that featured Rich’s wonderful photo collection of personalized birder plates from across the country. Check it out – it’s definitely worth the look. And yes, my plate is there too.
Ron
That’s awesome Ron! What a fitting plate for you. Great shot too! The past week or so has brought the Harriers back around and I’m starting to see them in all the usual spots more regularly. I look forward to watching them throughout the coming Winter.
I suppose I’ve driven by you and didn’t know it. I’m always on the lookout for the ‘big red truck’ with the cannons pointed out the window (OK, Canon & Nikon – excuse the pun). Just like birding; now that I know what to look for, my chances of seeing it are greatly improved. Hope to see you out there soon.
Thanks to Richard Ditch for including my B1RDR plate on his site as well. It’s in good company. In the 10 months I’ve had it, I’ve heard all kinds of comments about them. It’s good fun and an easy ID for other bird chasing folks out there. Someone will usually stop and ask what I’ve seen or let me in on their sightings. I’ll talk to anyone all day about birds. It’s not all vanity, but also a good in-the-field tool.
Hey, I love it! The harriers on my property are truly artists of the air; your pics are amazing!
Ron, way to go and getting outside your element and getting your vanity license plate. As a lover or personalized license plates I find it very intriguing to learn of the real meanings and reason behind the license plates. Your images are stunning and I thank you for sharing this with the world.
Rich, loved the “A license to Bird” pics from the magazine. Too cool.
Thanks guys!
You catch and share so many beautiful shots with us that you are entitled to brag a little via the personalised plate. And I suspect Richard is right – very few people will catch the allusion.
Glorious shot – and hopefully a good omen for trips in your new car.
Its about time you did this, Ron. I’ve had my vanity plate so long now I can’t recall what year I first got it – probably in the 80’s.
Don’t worry about the loss of anonymity – most people aren’t very observant and the ones that do notice your plate will probably think you or someone in your family flies VTOL jets for the Marines.
Even fewer people catch on to my SHRIKE plate. We once overheard two women talking about my plate at a rest stop on the Garden State Parkway when one said “can you imagine having THAT last name?” Little did she know how much worse it could be!