![\"northern](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/northern-harrier-5437-ron-dudley.jpg\")
1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 400, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\nThis image was taken two months ago along the causeway to Antelope Island. Because\u00a0the mudflats a little farther\u00a0out are mostly barren one can sometimes find a harrier hunting very close to the narrow road corridor where vegetation and voles are found. Though harriers are typically quite wary of vehicles some of these birds have been almost forced to become acclimated to traffic\u00a0so they\u00a0largely ignore passing cars. But occasionally they’ll give you their patented annoyed look and if you’re lucky enough to\u00a0catch that fleeting\u00a0moment with your camera\u00a0the spectacular eyes of the male can be pretty intense.<\/p>\n
Because of the background habitat and the grays and blacks in the bird\u00a0there’s not a lot of color in the image so the yellow\u00a0eyes and\u00a0feet tug at\u00a0the\u00a0eyes of the viewer. And eye contact doesn’t\u00a0get much more direct than this. When I get this look from a harrier I almost wish I could read its mind.<\/p>\n
But then maybe it’s best that I can’t.<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The striking bright yellow eyes of the male Northern Harrier sometimes seem to bore right through me.<\/p>\n