One of the fun things about takeoff shots is that a bird with little promise for interesting photos while it’s perched can instantly translate into exciting photos when it lifts off.
Yesterday morning when I spotted this immature Northern Harrier on the ground in good light I almost didn’t stop for ‘her’. She wasn’t particularly close, she was partially buried in the vegetation and she was facing partly away from me so even if she did take off she’d most likely only give me butt shots in flight.
But up to that point it had been a slow morning for birds so I decided to give her a chance to surprise me. After all, I’ve heard rumor that serendipity does actually happen on occasion, even with birds.
There was so much vegetation between me and the bird I had to jockey my pickup back and forth so I could shoot through a tunnel of weeds to come even close to getting a clear shot of her while she was perched. Some of that out of focus vegetation in the foreground can be seen at the bottom right. Because of all the foreground obstructions I was having considerable trouble getting sharp shots of her while she was on the ground.
1/6400, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
But surprise me she did. Immediately after launch she twisted toward me which gave me an interesting flight posture and good light on her entire body. She’s looking my way and I even have a catch light in her left eye.
That’s the thing about birds – they’re predictably unpredictable so the photographer always has a chance to come out on top.
Ron
OMGosh!! That head turn toward you is the best Christmas gift! Wonderful!
She decided to give you a couple of presents for Christmas! She is a beauty, isn’t she. Her right facial disc really pops in the first shot — so much so that I didn’t notice the close vegetation until you mentioned it, I’m so keyed into her face. And I see her going in for a hug in the flight shot. 😉
Marty, I’ll take presents from birds any old time. A male kestrel gave me another present later that same morning but typical of kestrels he held a little back. I may post one of those photos soon, if for no other reason than to tell the story. .
Oooh! Feisty Falcon Fun!
As a two-day newbie to your blog, (European Starling and Northern Harrier) I must say I am mightily impressed with your skill, equipment, perseverance and as you say, luck. I look forward to following your chronicling of our feathered friends in the future.
Welcome aboard, Bob. I hope you enjoy the ride.
Harriers always seem so in control when they are flying near the ground. And your photos of them in flight seem to never fail to capture that. Thanks for posting. And Happy Holidays.
I’d agree with your observation about their flight control, Bill. Thank you.
So nice she did not merely give you another butt shot!
Indeed.
“Luck be a lady …” (sorry, I was listening to a Frank Sinatra Christmas CD last night so his voice is in my brain now). And honestly, I don’t think it’s either luck or serendipity with your photography — it’s all about the eye, the patience, and the skill. She’s a beauty and we’re the lucky ones that you had this encounter!
And honest, it took me so long to finish that (distracted by squirrels & crows at my suet feeder) —I did NOT see EC’s comment until mine posted!
Chris, with birds all four, including luck, are usually involved. Luck of one kind or another comes part and parcel with bird photography.
Luck sometimes (just sometimes) is a lady – particularly when experience, skill, patience and gear are also present.
What an amazing bird — and photograph.
“Just” sometimes is exactly right, EC – especially when birds are involved.
I guess with birding it’s a slow day until it isn’t.
Serendipity? Yes, plus experience, skill, practice, patience, proper equipment….
Most likely I would have thought this was a female adult. Now I know not to assume…at least for this species.
Thank you, Lyle. Adult females have mostly yellow eyes, somewhat similar to those of adult males.
Love the look she’s giving you “ I got you” 😜 She wasn’t going to let you go home empty handed. The background, look in her eye, wing position and that foot hanging… perfect❗️
Have a good day 🙂
You mean she was showing me sympathy? I’ll have to think about that, Diana… 🙂
She looks like she has decided to check out the guy checking her out. Wonderful capture.
Thanks, Arwen.
Wonderful images! Thanks to your patience and your knowledge of the birds behavior.
Thank you, Laval.
Yeah, birds ROCK as does serendipity! I shudder to think where we’d be without them!
Serendipity happens whether you’re there to capture it, or not. Birds operate in the moment. I love it that you’re out there and ready to grab those moments! You know…those moments caught in still photography that our hideously substandard and slow eyesight cannot catch to appreciate.
Yet again, thank you!
Thanks, Laura. I dearly hope that you’re rebounding from your recent unfortunate circumstances. I worry about you…
I love the posture in the second shot– it’s a perfect poise –a gathering of
energy into those powerful wings before they sweep into action—a very
exciting “capture” !
Good. Thank you, Kris.
A really great shot. I love the positioning of the wings you captured.
Thanks very much, Mark.
She does have a lovely face and blends nicely with the vegetation. You just never know what they are going to do when you stop and start to maneuver…sometimes they ignore but my luck is not the best so most times I chance driving ahead to get out of their sight, turn around and work my way back and say a prayer they are still there. Sometimes you have a winner!
Kathy, I can tell from one thing you said in particular that you have experience. When we’re driving we often have to pass a bird and then turn around and come back to get them on the driver’s side of the vehicle so we can photograph them. Raptors especially will often let us pass by very close to them but they REALLY don’t like it when they see you turn around and come back. It makes them nervous so as often as not they’ll take off before you get back to them. So often the best strategy is to drive far enough past them so they can’t see you turning around.
You sure came out on top on this one. That is a keeper for sure. She saw all the work you were doing to position yourself in exactly the right spot so she decided to cooperate and give you this beautiful take-off pose. Great job Ron.
Thanks, Everett. With birds in situations like this one things usually don’t work out. But you never, ever really know ahead of time..
Beautiful! 😀 She certainly DID give you a nice shot….. Love the warm, golden color of some of her feathers and on her chest. Also like the lighter color around her eyes setting them off and the detail of the “dots” around her eyes/neck that almost look like a necklace from the front. Serendipity does play a part in capturing birds…😀
Thank you, Judy. As you probably know those ‘dots’ are the outline of the somewhat unusual facial disc of the Northern Harrier.
Now that you mention it I think I have heard that before! – very owl like…..😀