Today, a last look at the male Northern Harrier I photographed along the Antelope Island causeway a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been posting quite a few harrier shots lately, so I promise, these are the last I’ll post for a while.
1/3200, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I repeatedly made a significant error that morning. The harrier ended up flying about four miles east as he was hunting along the causeway so my strategy was to drive ahead of him, then stop and wait for him to show up. I did that again and again but I kept stopping too soon, so by the time I got my lens on him he was often already slightly past me – like in this shot.
I got many shots like this one, that I like a lot, except for him being past me already.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I’ll close with three consecutive shots of the same male that, without the Canon R5, I’d have been unable to get sharp.
For this series, he was flying just behind a long stand of dried vegetation that was between me and the bird. I kept expecting my active focus point to lose the bird and lock onto the vegetation but…
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
it didn’t.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
It stuck with the bird, even when I started cutting off body parts in photos taken after this one.
If I’d been using my previous camera, the Canon 7D Mark II, I’d have had virtually no chance to do this well in this situation. This last shot isn’t quite as sharp as the others, but I think it’s plenty sharp enough.
The R5 is old enough now that newer camera models have surpassed it. But it still impresses me. Regularly.
Ron
I’m so glad the investment in the R5 has paid off. I know you spent a lot of time considering whether it would be worth it and whether it would work for you. Post as many Harrier shots as you want!
Wow, he’s an absolute unit (as the cool kids say) — spectacular raptor! I do believe he’s saluting you with those left wing primaries tilted upward in the third pic, so he’s apparently happy to accommodate you and your R5!
)
(Yeah, it’s likely an optical illusion but I like my idea better.
Chris, I’ve been too far removed from the “cool kids” for too long, so I no longer know what they say. I used to though…
Like others have said, you can post shots of this Grey Ghost as often as you wish; we won’t tire of them especially when they’re this good! I want to echo Burrdoo — even the best equipment is worthless unless it’s in the hands of a skilled operator.
Marty, sometimes I’m one of those “skilled operators” and sometimes I’m not. I can make some pretty gawd-awful mistakes in the field.
“I can make some pretty gawd-awful mistakes in the field.”
That’s not YOU, that’s Ol’ Murph (the bastard!).
These are really nice. I never get tired of seeing your Harrier photos.
Thanks very much, Bill.
Post as many harrier shots as you want. Who doesn’t love seeing those owlish faces?
While they’re resident here on the Mendocino Coast, they tend to stay far away from roads and hunt over private meadows.
A friend splurged on the R5 II and really likes his. I inherited his battery stash, since the II takes different batteries. I hope to get many more years with my R5 before upgrading.
Interesting, Catherine. I didn’t know that the R5 II takes different batteries. I’m still using some of my 7D II batteries with my R5.
It’s your skill and persistence and generosity that impress me!
Thanks Burrdoo, but I had a lot of help from the R5.
Beautiful! Yep, once vegetation gets involved…….
His eye is sharp as are the feathers……
Finches mostly gone – of course, black oil on sale last week and I stocked up!
Have a Northern Saw-Whet in the vicinity – have heard it the past couple of nights.
Judy, look at the bright(er) side. You’ll have plenty of those seeds next time they show up.
Beautiful shots of one of our most beautiful birds of prey. Keep them coming. We rarely get to see the males here in Prescott.
Glad you like them, Everett. Thanks.
Beautiful photos of a beautiful bird! Thanks for letting us know how you drive to take the photos… fascinating to us fellow photographers and I appreciate the results!
Thanks, Joanne. As you may already know, I call it “creative driving”.