Adult Male Northern Harrier

Three long years have passed since my first encounter with male Northern Harrier on Antelope Island.  This morning heading to the island I met my second male Northern Harrier. 

The predator ended up not far from the road and perched on a metal pole with a wire. The sight of such poles always makes me nervous because birds accidentally get tangled in the wire and get injured.

Due to their distinctive plumage color, male Northern Harriers are sometimes called "Grey Ghosts" among birders.

Generally, life is good.

Female Northern Harrier in Winter

 

At the end of my not so-good trip to the Bear River last week, I spotted a female Northern Harrier on a narrow country road.

Luck is a capricious lady.  That day, I was returning from my trip without a single photograph and meeting the Harrier turned out to be a true gift.

 

Life goes on.

Adult Male Northern Harrier on Antelope Island

When it comes to identify Northern Harrier it's not difficult to distinguish an adult male from a female.  Adult males are mostly gray above and white below, they have lemon-yellow eyes.  Adult females are brownish. 

A few days ago I spotted on Antelope Island a male Northern Harrier which was not so easy to photograph because he didn't stay at one spot even for a few seconds.  At some point, Harrier decided to settled down and I was able to take these photographs.  

A Harrier has a facial disk around the face but it's not as prominent as it is in owls.  The disc directs sound to the ears of Harrier.

Life goes on.

Juvenile Female Northern Harrier at Bear River

When it comes to identify Northern Harrier it's not difficult to distinguish an adult male from a female.  Adult males are mostly gray above and white below, they have lemon-yellow eyes.  Adult females are brownish. 

When it comes to identify a juvenile Northern Harrier it's getting tricky because they very much resemble adult females.  Today I saw a juvenile female Northern Harrier and was thrilled to photograph her.

You can see the unique facial disk around the face of this Harrier. It's not as prominent as it is in owls, you can see clearly it in this photo.  The disc directs sound to the ears of Harrier.

Today was a warm day and the Northern Harrier was enjoying it .

Every wonderful encounter with a bird eventually comes to the end...  

Generally, life is good!

Adult Male Northern Harriers

Yesterday I saw two Northern Harriers on Antelope Island but when I started to photograph them my lens couldn't focus and I felt so helpless not knowing what to do.  Luckily, Northern Harriers were making big circles in the sky and approaching closer and closer and my lens eventually started to focus.

Looking at these photos I smile because I imagined for so long how I would photograph these raptors but when it happened, everything was so challenging and different. Well, you don't choose situation, it chooses you unless you plan ahead.

Adult Male Northern Harrier is a hawk with long broad wings and a white rump patch.  Adult male Harriers are grayish.

A female Northern Harrier stays with her young ones most of the time for the few first weeks and a male brings food to female.

Generally, life is good!

Hazy Northern Harrier

I never had much luck with Northern Harriers, I saw them occasionally and it all ended there.

When I spotted this Harrier I knew that it's impossible to get closer to him.  In front of me was a narrow long strip of frozen water and along this strip tall reeds stood in a row.  

Luckily, I found a little open space between the reeds and started to shoot.  I got plenty of awful hazy photos but on the photo above the Harrier's eyes turned out to be sharp and this decided its fate. 

 

 Harrier is taking off.  

I am not proud of this photo, it could be better but I finally have a photo of a flying Harrier and I'm happy.

Generally, life is good!

Juvenile Northern Harrier

To photograph a Northern Harrier was one of my biggest dreams that eventually came true but not how I expected.  A Juvenile Northern Harrier I met was perching on a pole in the worst location possible. There was a road with a heavy traffic behind him but I was happy to get these two photos and add them to my collection of raptors.

Harriers named for harrying prey, they have owl-like faces and detect prey by hearing.

Adult males are very different from juveniles. They were nicknamed "gray ghosts" for their beautiful white and grey plumage. Sadly, I have never seen the gray ghosts. Perhaps, someday if I have a pinch of luck I might see one.