I don’t believe I have any other harrier photos even remotely similar to this one.
Sorry about not providing image techs – finding them would take time I don’t have
As they occasionally do this bird was hunting as close to the tops of the phragmites as it could in order to give it the quickest chance possible at any prey it might spot on the ground about 6 feet or more below. It was even flying below some of the tallest brown panicles (I call them tassels) and brushing some of them enough to make them move from the contact or the air currents. As you can see from its posture it was hovering more than it was flying forward – harriers are quite slow and deliberate in flight when they’re hunting this way.
The composition of the image is a little tight on the hawk but I can live with that The photo was taken at Farmington WMA long ago and I’ve always liked it. I posted it once before way back on Dec. 2, 2012 so I figured it’s been long enough that most current viewers have never seen it.
Hopefully I’ll soon be able to post more recent photos but for the last few weeks my morning shooting time has been taken up by doctor appointments, CT scans, MRI’s, ultrasound scans and various “procedures” (a euphemism for painful or at least uncomfortable medical techniques). Thankfully there have been no dire diagnoses as of yet but no miracle cures or magic bullets either.
I didn’t mention my health challenges to elicit sympathy – far from it. In fact I’d be grateful if we don’t mention them further. But all these older photos have altered the style of Feathered Photography to the point that I thought blog followers should know why. I’ve had to miss many wonderful opportunities with birds recently (including a species rare to almost nonexistent in Utah) and that frustrates the hell out of this bird photographer.
Most of my scheduled appointments are behind me now so I hope to be “out there” more often if only the clouds and the smoke from fires will cooperate. But the smoke situation looks dicey – yesterday afternoon we had what I believe to be our worst air of the fire season so far.
Ron
Sorry to know you’ve been a “test subject” for our guys in white. I’m going thru the same stuff. They find nothing dire – yet. What’s important is the photos we share. We visited Antelope Island last week and saw this hawk! What a gorgeous creature in flight!! I need a longer lens!! Your pic is so perfect!! Hopefully we’ll return next summer and go find it again. Thanks for giving a name to the tall brown plumes!!: panicles or tassels. I do appreciate you.
You know, I think you could just nail this one to the wall and call it BEST. It is mighty fine.
I’ll take that as an endorsement, Ron. Thanks very much.
Great photo. Here’s to more “from the field” ops!
Hear, hear!
What a unique shot of this beautifully colored and strong bird.
Doctor visits and tests can be exhausting. Glad to hear that you might be able to get out there more often. For you, shooting is good for your soul.
Thank you, Ron
It sure is, Alice. And my soul needs all the help it can get!
A tad late to the party this morning. But oh. Oh. Oh.
Athleticism, and not beauty but magnificence.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, EC.
Get on out there, Ron! Yay!
🙂
Wow!This is such a phenomenal shot! The hawk and the plants all have a similar upswept position and the colors complemant each other. Thanks for this!
Thanks very much, Pat.
Incredibly beautiful photo…I love the colors! This may be one of your past photos, (before I “discovered” your blog) but it is now one of my favorites.
Thank you..
I like it a lot too, Steve. At first I wasn’t too sure because of that phrag tassel behind the head but now it doesn’t bother me at all.
I like this shot a lot. It doesn’t seem to matter that it is tight on the Hawk. Female Harriers are as beautiful as the males, but in a different way. This shot makes me look forward to the fact that we will be at home this winter, and will therefore have opportunities to watch the pair of Northern Harriers that hangs out at the park.
“Female Harriers are as beautiful as the males”
I agree, Susan – they’re beautiful, just in a different way. So are juveniles.
What another beautiful picture you have posted. Thank you.
I’m glad you like it, Trudy. Thanks.
I really like this shot as well. Primarily because I see this species flying quite a lot, (even today) and when I lived on the coast used to watch a “friend” flying over Phragmites often. Since I used to study saltmarshes this “friend” would come quite close. I suspect I was showing behavior that was inconsistent to being a threat and I was just part of the scenery. At any rate those are long cherished memories.
FREE MY TIME! I know what that is like. When you get our age that freedom from specific appointments is truly being free!
We do become attached to some individual birds, don’t we, Dick. Thank you.
Outstanding photo Ron. Looking at this reminds me of why the British named the first vertical take off jet fighter the Harrier.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott Arizona
And a very appropriate name it is, Everett. I believe the Brits call harriers “Hen Harriers. At least they didn’t name the VTOL plane the “Hen”…
Ron, I opened your post today and exclaimed, “Oh wow!” out loud. Absolutely stunning shot!!! I can see why you’ve chosen to honor Harriers on your license plate. Hope you get to go out in the field soon to show it off! 🙂
Marty, For me “HARRIER” on my plate was the obvious choice. Thankfully it was still available. Can’t tell you how many times folks at gas stations etc. have asked me if I was a harrier jump jet pilot though…
Do you answer them using your best British accent? 😉
Ha, despite my extensive British ancestry I’m terrible at accents, that of the Brits especially. My Dudley ancestors who moved from Boston to Utah in 1851 were said to have a pronounced Boston accent and I’ve even tried to duplicate that, with embarrassing results.
I love this image ! The grace and sweep of the wings and the “tassels” are consonant–right down to the textures and color==real beauty………
Thanks very much, Kris.
Magnificent shot Ron!
Thanks, Charlotte.
Love it! 😍 That is a terrific photo…the face is beautiful; the ‘disc’ is so evident on this one…it adds such a special touch to their face along with the low white brows, the flat head. They are such a unique bird…so much to study on the Harrier…colors, feather banding, flight patterns. Last week I just sat in my car and watched 5-6 of them flying low over the marsh as a couple of farmers were baling the cut mash hay. Only one was an adult male, the others were either female or juveniles (I find it a little difficult to separate the juvies from the females at times.) A few of them had such a rich cinnamon breast it was breathtaking! Occasionally they would land on top of the hay on the ground looking for rodents and pounce on one scooping it up. I got a few dozen pictures but this precipitated me getting my new lens…I simple needed a slightly longer reach! Went home and called Canon!!! I don’t want to only get document pictures of that type of event…I want keepers.
Kathy, I would love to spend several hours that way. Very jealous! 🙂
“Went home and called Canon!!! ”
Hmm, that sounds potentially like another new lens, Kathy?
I have difficulty telling juvies from adult females too. If I remember correctly that cinnamon breast is an indicator of juvenile. Thank you.
Gorgeous! It’s coloring blends with the phragmites beautifully as it “hovers” – appears to just hang there….:) Smoke has REALLY been bad here with an occasional E wind being the only time we have much relief. 🙁 Air cleaner in the house the only real relief.
I like the complementary colors too. I figure your smoke has been coming our way lately – you can have it! 🙂 Thank you.
Worst came out of BC and Alberta over the weekend………