All good things must come to an end.
Four days ago, this rather unremarkable photo was the last shot I took of the hundreds of Wilson’s Snipes I spent over an hour with. Soon after I took this photo a sudden and unexpected fly-by by two avian ‘intruders’ brought my session with the snipes to a very abrupt end.
A low-flying Snowy Egret approached from the east and a low-flying immature Northern Harrier approached from the northwest at exactly the same time and scared off the entire flock of over 200 snipes. The snipes didn’t see either bird coming until the last second because the egret came in over an elevated road and the harrier approached over a tall stand of phragmites. So when the snipes finally did see them, they panicked and were gone in an instant.
I could only see the egret through my windshield so I couldn’t photograph it but…
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I got quite a few shots of the harrier, who calmly flew over the massed flock of fleeing snipes without even reacting to them. In this shot the harrier is actually watching the snipes make their getaway.
1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I have photos of harriers I like better than these two but for me at least, harriers have been almost nonexistent since late last winter so I was delighted to see this bird up close and get some shots. It had been so long since I’d been able to get any decent harrier photos I was beginning to wonder if I should remove the photo of my HARRIER vanity plate from the top of my blog, for fear of being accused of false advertising.
I actually saw six harriers that morning (four of them were hunting together and they appeared to be hunting cooperatively – I saw that group twice) so things are looking up on the harrier front.
I’ll never forget that split-second when all those snipes took off. Imagine the pandemonium and racket when that many panicked and tightly packed snipes took off right outside my open pickup window. It was completely unexpected so I just about jumped out of my skin. Oh well, at least it was birds that scared them off rather than the nearby duck hunters.
If it had been hunters I’d have felt far less magnanimous about it.
Ron
If the snipe convention had to come to an end, some beautiful harrier shots are a great consolation (and let you keep that license plate š). For me, a pair of harriers successfully raised two offspring in the wetlands/steppe behind my house this spring and early summer – the first time I had seen that. They were almost constantly present for a couple of months, but as soon as the youngsters spent a few days practicing their flight and hunting, they all disappeared. I had been missing harriers for a while, but finally saw a large female hunting back there this past week.
What a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing.
Well, Iām sorry to see that your Snipe-a-looza came to an abrupt annd wholly unexpected end, but the appearance of Northern Harriers can only be seen as a harbinger of more good things to come for you!
Iāve had company since Thursday so had to backtrack to read your Snipe posts and all the comments, and have now had my āfanned-tail curiosityā satisfied. Attempting to ward off intruders (other than Harriers) seems a most reasonable explanation, even if it doesnāt exactly work. It especially doesnāt work if you get your bill stuck in the mud or on a rock! š
Good to have you back, Chris. I can’t imagine having to deal with a schnozzola as long as a snipe’s. For one thing, I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near my viewfinder with my face.
From one site I read about snipes it said the harrier is the number one predator. During my time with the snipes I had the birds flushed twice by harriers and by a snowy egret and great blue heron. The birds returned but not as close to me in the open. The hunters using two of the nearby boat ramps flushed the birds also but less birds returned each time. I still have photos go over, some are interesting, but I got my Covid booster yesterday and I am not feeling good. Those shots really take me down, the reaction time is getting less with each shot but the intensity isnāt.
April, Interesting to know that harriers are the primary snipe predator. I’m not surprised but I didn’t know it.
Wonderful observations and great images of the Harrier.
There is a Swamp Harrier working the field across from our house as I write these lines – elegant birds,.
Thanks, Gary. Sounds like good timing for you.
Much better than them being spooked by hunters – and I can only imagine the flurry and the noise. All good things… It must have been wonderful to see several harriers though.
It was, EC. Most days I’ve gone out in the last 8+ months I haven’t seen a single harrier.
Well, it was a good party while it lasted. Of course the upside was the sighting of the Northern Harrier (nice photos).
It was. Thanks, Michael.
Envious Ron. She is a beauty and these are two excellent shots. I have seen them often kill Coots so I suppose they could do the same to the Snipes. Snipes are smaller and lighter, but can probably take off faster. I have never seen even two Harriers together here let alone a group of them. The names for a group of Harriers are a swarm of or a harassment of. For any prey it would sure be a harassment.
Thanks, Everett. Snipes definitely take off faster than coots.
I do love the collective nouns for birds/animals and that is a beauty. Thanks Everett.
Laugh at you being startled by the flushed Snipes – much like pheasants I’m guessing. š Glad the hunters weren’t taking shots at them or the Harrier!
Beautiful shots of the Harrier. The 2nd one with it’s head cocked is particularly appealing to me.
Thanks, Judy. “Startled” is an understatement. I wondered if I was going to have to change my jeans when I got home.
Shoot– sorry, it IS there still– guess I’ve been in such a hurry to get into your blog that I’ve immediately scrolled below it–take THAT as
a compliment !
Good. And I do.
Hurray for the return of the Harriers ! For quite some time yesterday I watched THREE Northern Flickers hunting peaceably out of my backyard. It seems that at least some birds are making a return. I
thought that you HAD removed your Harrier license plate image from
the FP masthead– It hasn’t appeared on what I receive for quite
some time ?
Kris, the photo of my vanity plate is still at the very top right corner of my blog. At least it should be – it is for me.
If you’re on a small screen like a mobile device, maybe it isn’t or you might have to scroll to the upper right to see it.
Super series, thanks for sharing!
Charloote Norton
Thanks, Charlotte.